I guess we could date
by EsmeTyler
Summary: Because Kallen was sick of men and CC was willing to try anything.  Code Geass AU, CC/Kallen, SuzaLulu...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Wow, 'what the hell am I doing in this fandom', reader enquires. Excusez-moi, _Code Geass_ has intricate plotlines, giant fighting robots with Arthurian legend names, magnificent Gay and copious amounts of fanservice. The question should, dear reader, actually be 'Why the hell didn't I totally rape this fandom with everyone else back in 2008 when it was really popular?' the answer being _Naruto_. Of which I fully and utterly now regret.

Anyways, I don't own this shit.

**Warning y'all: **This fanfiction will have swearing, and sexual references, and maybe actual sex I dunno. Fo' sho it will have Gay of both extremes (girl-on-girl and boy-on-boy) although mostly Lesbians. Because there's not enough Lesbianism in the world.

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**I guess we could date**

**Chapter 1**

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It would be a cold day in hell before Kallen Kozuki allowed anyone to perversely grope her against her will and wanting.

Even if 'anyone' was a potential employer.

In fact, Kallen's new philosophy dictated that any job headed by a portly, balding 50+ old man with an uncontrollable compulsion to sweat excessively and whom was more interested in staring at her cleavage than her credentials, was a job not worth seeking any further and thus also a failed employment opportunity she should no longer worry about.

She should also, Kallen reminded herself as she strode briskly away from Nakano Industries, not bother worrying about the present physical state of said 50+ sweaty balding man. Kallen had taken care in restraining herself to the point that the perve would only suffer from a mild concussion for fear of being tracked down and charged with assault and bodily harm. Although Kallen was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to find her anyway, he was unconscious when she had seized her resume and stormed out, and she had knocked his secretary out as she left. Just to be safe.

Kallen's stride turned into a stomp, and innocent pedestrians practically _threw _themselves out of her way careful not to be caught beneath the almost stabbing motions of her heels, and ducking their heads in order to avoid direct eye contact with the fiery-haired demon who by now had started to grind her teeth together in barley concealed fury.

She had _needed _that job.

It had sounded so right for her, just a small cubical job in Accounting with manageable hours and sufficient pay. And best of all a _health plan_. A health plan she could of easily passed on to her mother instead…

The beast released as Kallen let out an almighty incoherent yell of rage.

An impressionable child nearby started to cry. And so did his father.

Calmer individuals wondered if they should report the apparently insane redhead, who had now thrown her messenger bag onto the pavement and had proceeded to stomp continuously on the baggage with her 3-inch killer heels. After a while however the stomping stopped and instead the redhead growled, gathering up her bag in one swift swoop before charging down the street, an easy feat considering how the crowds willingly parted for her out of fear.

Why did _every _job she applied for have to have a fucking perverted _male _in charge?

Why were there _never _any composed, powerful and career-focused women waiting patiently for her in the interview room, nodding swiftly in understanding at Kallen's out of breath and hurried apologies for being late because her mother had forgotten how to turn the shower off that morning and had nearly drowned herself in the bathtub?

Why did _every _Potential Employer have to be more interested in undermining her worth as a Potential Employee by assessing her breasts and legs, usually mentally but some past pricks had had the nerve to cop a feel. Such as the man Kallen had only recently thrown over his own desk into a 4 to 6 week physical recovery.

Kallen ran. She ran and ran until her lungs started to hurt and her feet started to curl into the moulds of her shoes. She _fucking hated _high heels. Her arch nemesis in footwear was the least practical type of shoe she had ever known and yet _of course_ she had to wear them to a job interview to compliment her _stupid _black skirt and her _damn _periwinkle blouse and her admittedly _ridiculously magnificent _legs. Kallen stopped, ducking into an alleyway and pushing her back up against the wall, her bag dropping to her feet and her pink, full lips taking in great gasps of air as she glared hatefully down at her feet. If she dressed like this, Kallen theorised, than perhaps dirty old men with power _expected _her to be willing to be groped, by wearing heels and elongating her legs stupid men like that would _believe_ that she was _asking _for it, and in later court cases use this defence to justify their actions. Kallen seethed before kicking off the damned heels, standing 3-inches shorter and in tanned pantyhose.

She _hated _those heels, but not her body, and just because Kallen might enjoy wearing a blouse that complimented her bust without revealing anything, didn't mean that she was a 'tease'.

And just because she enjoyed how snug her skirt felt around her curves, doesn't mean that she 'secretly wants it'.

SHE WANTED NOTHING.

She wanted nothing from any portly, balding sweating horrible old men, especially not their groping hands and expectant sneers.

And especially not their job offers.

Although she did need that job.

Kallen picked up her heels in one hand, her bag in the other and marched out from the alley with renewed anger, glancing her narrowed blue eyes at any stranger who dared to question her now shoeless feet. Wincing once at the young blisters on her feet Kallen breathed deeply before setting off in the direction of Golden gai.

She really needed a drink.

Or to punch someone.

Preferably both.

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In her mind, CC thought of herself as an excellent roommate.

She kept her bedroom relatively clean (because she barley used it, instead preferring to creep into her roommate's bed at night much to his chagrin).

She brought them both food regularly (on his income of course, and she ate most of it herself anyway).

And she paid her worth in exuding and promoting an easy-going and open minded attitude and atmosphere (instead of paying her worth in rent money on which, Lelouch reminded, she was severely overdue by several months).

Yes, despite Lelouch's angry protests, CC was an excellent roommate.

She, CC stressed, benefitted her roommate's life by delivering endless fun and exhilaration to his otherwise OCD-orderly and dull existence. This morning CC decided to hide Lelouch's laptop so as to initiate a joyful game of hide and seek. Which really involved CC not 'hiding' but rather sitting atop the kitchen island eating cold pizza, whilst Lelouch threw cushions and other items left and right, turning their shared two-bedroom one-bathroom Shinjuku apartment upside down, in 'seeking' his stolen laptop all the while throwing death threats and swears at CC over his shoulder.

For all his practised almost regal manner, CC surmised, the boy swore like a sailor.

CC shrugged to herself, 'must be a British thing', and took another bite of pizza.

"Why do you continuously INSIST", Lelouch spat from his inspection under the sofa, "on making my life as difficult as POSSIBLE?" CC shrugged again. Lelouch glared. CC stared. Lelouch stood up from the floor next to the sofa and threw his hands into the air in a dramatic fashion.

"Woman! Where is my laptop? Give me my laptop!"

"Ah-ah" CC wagged a finger too and thro, "that's cheating"

"What's cheating? This isn't a game! My work is on that laptop!"

"You work too much, this is rehabilitation, I'm worried for you"

"Liar!"

CC sighed and dropped down from the kitchen island in a manner like that of an ever-patient queen forced to leave her throne to coddle one of her crying children. Her feet padded across the tiled floor to the adjoined living area wherein which Lelouch was now furiously searching a potted plant. He looked up at his approaching roommate, a foolish wave of optimism within him suggesting that maybe she had decided to give in and give back unto him his beloved laptop. A wave which diminished into nothing upon seeing CC yawn and instead plop down onto the sofa, having approached not to resolve their conflict but for a better vantage point from which to watch Lelouch's attempts to retrieve his possession. Lelouch let loose a most deep of frowns.

CC stared.

Lelouch glared.

CC crossed her legs.

Lelouch crossed his arms.

CC wiped her nose with her sleeve.

"CC" vocal volume set on a steady level "I'm being serious; I need my laptop back now". CC began playing with a lock of thick, lime hair. Lelouch tried again, his previously steady voice betraying his calm façade by faltering, at points increasing an octave higher.

"CC I NEED MY LAPTOP. NOW."

"Well obviously you don't need it as much as you say you do or you would have found it by now out of desperation."

Lelouch started to visibly shake, his clean fingernails digging red moons into his hands by how tightly he had clenched his fists. A deep and gravelly intake of air.

"My work is on MY LAPTOP. My work is IMPORTANT. I need my FUCKING LAPTOP NOW."

CC released her personal version of a scoff, "Yes, because a bi-weekly columnist's work aligns itself in literary importance right up there with the Magna Carta".

Lelouch looked affronted. Then he looked pale. And then he looked angry. And then he looked angrier. And then he took a cushion and whacked CC across the face with all his strength, which really wasn't much, before stalking off to his room and slamming the door, the sound shattering the small silence.

CC drew the would-be-weapon cushion into her lap and listened to the faint thumps of her roommate banging his head incessantly against his bedroom wall and his anguished cries of fury and self-pity. This CC-activity lasted enjoyably for several minutes until a new sound, the doorbell, directed her attention. It rang again, and considering her roommate was currently 'busy', CC felt it her reluctant duty to answer the door. Her payment for being forced to get up and walk all the way to the door was the person on the other side, who happened to be on CC's small but comfortable list of her favourite people. "Suzaku" CC greeted, giving a nod, he smiled back in that naturally cheerful way of his.

Like a cat CC usually found it hard to accept new people into her life and disliked surprises, it was understandable that she felt uneasy at first when a year or so prior Lelouch had started actually going out at night (sometimes not returning until the next morning or noon even) thus breaking their tight-knit routine of many a Sunday night spent eating takeout and watching Countdown TV. And it's easy to imagine CC's discomfort at suddenly being informed by her roommate that the reason for his persistent disturbances in their roommate schedule was a new boyfriend, that he had thus far kept hidden from her prying nature, that he finally wanted her to meet.

CC had no problem with the whole gay thing, instead finding comfort in having a male roommate who would respond to your walking around the apartment naked not with sexual arousal but instead a thrown dressing gown and an insistence that she 'put some damn clothes on'. But she was increasingly protective of her roommate and the 'special relationship' they had and was untrusting of this Kururugi person all the way up until the point that she met them both for lunch and was introduced to the perpetually cheerful man. However, trust and pure love for the 'intruder' was established when, only minutes after meeting her, Suzaku had insisted that CC order whatever she wanted and not worry about the bill for he was happy to pay for everything. CC distinctly remembered her life flashing before her eyes, a life of mooching money for food off an unwilling Lelouch. She remembered having never had anyone offer to pay for her lunch completely of their own free will and NOT be attempting to get into her pants. Most of all she remembered Lelouch's palm slapping to his face loudly and his muttering towards a confused Suzaku "Well done, you've given her an open chance to bankrupt you".

Following this CC had been silent before she had pulled out her chair, sat down, given an appraising nod to Suzaku before turning to Lelouch and stating "I approve". With that, CC had then opened her menu, reaching a nimble hand into her purse to retrieve her emergency food bib that she carried around with her at all times.

Yes, CC was like a cat in the way that she usually found it hard to accept new people into her life and disliked surprises. However, also like a cat, she could easily be won over with food.

"Good morning CC, is Lelouch up yet?" bringer of free food aka. Suzaku asked as he crossed the threshold into the apartment in answer to CC's inviting sweep of her hand. She closed the door behind him, "Yeah he's up", she padded towards him "but you'd best be careful Kururu". Suzaku sniffed at the familiar nickname and his brow furrowed in confusion "Why? Is something wrong?"

CC nodded sagely, "Your girlfriends PMSing, must be her time of the month." She tilted her head towards Lelouch's bedroom door from which protruded sounds of muffled British swearing. Suzaku looked honestly concerned "Lelouch?" he called out, his answer being silence as Lelouch stopped his rants from within his room. Suzaku made to approach his door but was stopped by CC. "Hold on, give this to him for me will ya?"

CC turned her back to Suzaku and walked the short distance into the apartment kitchen, she opened the fridge, bent down and pulled open the vegetable box, retrieving a silver laptop (fringed with ice) from its contents. Closing the fridge she returned to Suzaku and held the device out to him, he looked at the laptop, a wave of confusion flitting over his face before realization hit him. His response: a dismissive chuckle and the taking of the chilled laptop from CC's hands. CC flicked her hair over her shoulder as she watched Suzaku tentatively approach Lelouch's door, like Daniel and the Lion's den. "Lelouch it's me" Suzaku knocked twice on Lelouch's door and, receiving no answer, sighed deeply before resigning himself to an inevitable several minutes of attempting to coax his boyfriend out of self-isolation by using soft words and cooed compliments to rejuvenate Lelouch's ego.

CC watched for a while before she grew bored, this was a regular sight, seeing as how Lelouch was quick to take offence to any jab at his job/family/lack of manliness and general wellbeing. CC could recall several apartment parties, which involved many of her friends and barley any of Lelouch's, ending with Lelouch locking himself in his room in a huff with the deemed 'middle-man' Suzaku attempting to retrieve him, an act which usually ended in Suzaku's efforts being either denied by a stubborn boyfriend or, on a more positive conclusion, Suzaku being pulled into the room to engage in angry and particularly loud sex. To which CC would invite her party-friends to listen to in communal interest and amusement.

CC in this present time, instead of waiting around to see which way this incident would conclude, decided to actually get dressed, it being 13:23, which was still pretty early for CC to get dressed.

Hell, usually CC didn't even wake up in time to see the sun.

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**Sup'?**

**I'll tell you whats sup' yo.**

**Nothing much to be honest actually, I'm nearing that period of early-year exams and I really should be revising, but late last year I happened to click on a SuzaLulu doujinshi on Youtube and I got HOOKED. Like majorly. Mostly on the fandom though, I'm only up to episode 12 of the anime, but I've already brought the first two volumes of the Knights manga, which btw isn't as Gay as we'd like to think, I bet the Queen's manga is just chock-a-block with Yuri goodness so I'll order that in a fews weeks maybe.**

**Anyways, around a few weeks after introducing myself to SuzaLulu and CG I started fangirling CCxKallen and angsting over the lack of fanfic on this site for this couple outside of the porn. Whilst the porn is good my first introduction to Lesbian-media was 'Kissing Jessica Stein' which is a wholly smart and funny film and this connotation of what a Lesbian film/program/fanfic should be has stuck with me enough that I've started writing this. The first chapter is just introducing the characters, the two lovely ladies don't meet until Chapter 2, and I aim for this fanfiction to be as smart as possible. That means big words and possibly even bigger plotholes (?), anyways, since this is a fanfic I really want to dedicate myself too I'm not releasing the next chapter until I finish writing the chapter that follows it. Making this some organized process, yay~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **If I owned this franchise I'd be able to confirm whether or not Season Three was going to actually exist...damn _Sunrise_ said there would be information in late 2010. THEY LIED.**  
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**Soliloquy: **Thank you all very much for the positive response and the like-minded views on the lack of CCxKallen fanfiction on this site, I'm glad that my characterization was apparantly 'spot-on' because I personally believe that, when writing a fanfiction, I tend to exagerate aspects of a characters personality to a comical extent. Which in some cases (most cases) doesn't work out as well as I'd wish. At the moment in fact, in my head, I'm attempting to empthasize and exagerate aspects of both Suzaku and Lelouch's personality so that I may one day write a passable _Code Geass_/_Revolutionary Girl Utena _crossover/parody. Sorry, I just got the _Utena_ movie and I've been watching it repeatedly (in subs of course, the dub is painful to listen to), alternating between that and SuzaLulu doujinshi on Youtube and now I can't stop imagining Rose-Bride Lelouch and Suzaku in crimson biking shorts.

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**I guess we could date**

**Chapter 2**

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Shinichiro Tamaki liked to believe that he knew a great deal, whilst the things he knew were not particularly Nobel-prize knowledge it was knowledge nonetheless and could sometimes (almost never) come in handy. In fact Tamaki had won his own pride and joy, his shanty bar in the Shinjuku Golden-Gai, by displaying his otherwise useless trivia about which parasites tasted like common, and frankly popular, foods.

Beetles tasted like apples, wasps tasted like pine nuts and worms tasted like some good old fried bacon.

Tamaki also knew that the elephant was the only mammal that couldn't jump, the world's oldest piece of chewing gum was around 9000 years old and that Adolf Hitler, infamous dictator of the Third Reich, had been a vegetarian and had been cursed with having only one testicle. Tamaki also knew that the only sure-fire way to coax Kallen Kozuki down from a tirade was with a glass of Sake (laced with whisky, Tamaki's speciality), a closed mouth and a free ear strong and patient enough to withstand her inevitable wave of ranting and insults. Tamaki's band of friends had all agreed, that out of all the things Tamaki knew, this scrap of knowledge was the most useful and was always to be remembered and applied for fear of death or one of Kallen's testicle (of which, unlike Hitler, Tamaki proudly had two) breaking kicks. From his same band of friends Tamaki had heard on the grapevine that Kallen had had another job interview that morning and had wisely chosen to stand by his Shanty-bar _The Drunken Endeavour _anticipating her presence whether the interview had gone well or not. Whether Kallen was celebrating or no, she would generally unleash her emotions in the same way, by visiting his bar (which he was forced to open for her a good 6 hours earlier than he usually would) and getting thoroughly pissed.

Tamaki looked up from the pavement at the sound of approaching stomps, squinting, he spied the she-devil herself at the far end of the lane, coming ever closer with an impending aura of grief and anger causing the few other early-drinkers hanging around to scurry off or press themselves to either side of the narrow lane in fear. Tamaki fished in his jacket pocket for his bar keys and sighed, Kallen was _pissed _today, like _Uber-Pissed_, and would most likely be increasing her ever-growing tab instead of paying, which Tamaki was happy to allow considering Kallen's current financial situation.

And also considering that although she was grinding her teeth and hunching her shoulders Kallen still looked like a smoking hot Aphrodite to Tamaki.

He snapped open the padlock as Kallen came closer, seeing her clearer now Tamaki spied a pair of black high heels being swung dangerously too and fro in her right hand and Tamaki entertained the idea that, in her anger, Kallen had perhaps mugged another woman and stolen her shoes in an attempt to instigate Schadenfrude within herself to even out her fury. However then she saw her shoeless feet and stifled a snicker.

"Ya' supposed to wear shoes on your feet Kallen, buy some gloves if your hands are cold."

Kallen approached silently, breathing deeply she then shoved the said shoes heel-first into Tamaki's chest, near piercing his jacket with the strength of the push.

"Shut the fuck up Tamaki."

And with that she kicked open the door of _The Drunken Endeavour_ and swept inside, leaving Tamaki outside, keeled over and attempting to regain his breath.

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After a long and lazy bath, which had involved re-enacting the battle of Svensksund with her lily-scented soap starring as the Swedish and her rubber ducky Alfred as the Russians, CC decided to finally exit the bathroom and grace the other occupants of the apartment with her presence. Her hair and body wrapped in towels CC padded into the living area to find that Suzaku had actually succeeded for once in coaxing Lelouch out, CC sniffed the air and found not the scent of post-angry and particularly loud sex so she could only conclude that Lelouch hadn't been bothered to be _too_ stubborn today. The two lay together on the sofa, Lelouch looking quite satisfied with his rejuvenated ego and tapping away at his retrieved laptop, Suzaku's chin lolled on his shoulder. Lelouch looked up and from his Japanese perch he threw a haughty glare at CC who smirked in return and moved to sit on the coffee table successfully butting her way into the aura of relationship-induced contentment. Lelouch, of course, knew her motives.

"Be gone witch."

"I'd rather not thanks."

"I'm not giving you a choice."

"I didn't expect you to; now hush your ruining the peace."

"YOU'RE ruining my life."

"Oh Lelouch just leave her be."

"Don't take her side! She took my laptop hostage!"

Lelouch bristled and started to shift in Suzaku's lap, Suzaku held on tighter because he rather enjoyed cuddling and for some reason seemed to enjoy cuddling Lelouch the most, which CC couldn't understand because she cuddled Lelouch when she could (mostly to annoy him) and found him to be warm, yes, but also very sharp and pointy in physical structure. Lelouch huffed from his enclosure and relented, instead furiously tapping away at his laptop, now and then throwing silent sneers at CC. Who honestly couldn't care less; she'd buy him a memory stick or something for his oh-so precious laptop later to make up for it. Clearing the metaphorical slate between them so that she could start all over again tomorrow.

But that was tomorrow and today obviously was today. And today was, CC took a while to remember. TUESDAY. Today was Tuesday, the first day Of CC's working week (which lasted from Tuesday to Friday) and the day to which CC kept a very strict schedule. Since she didn't have to be at work until the early evening CC generally spent her Tuesday mornings sleeping or eating or bathing or watching TV or bothering Lelouch. At around 14:30 CC would leave the apartment to spend the remainder of her free time doing a variety of things.

She would go to the arcade and beat her personal record on Pac man.

Then she would have a late lunch.

Then CC would go window shopping in Shinjuku-Dori Avenue.

Then she would have a second lunch.

Then CC would go actual-shopping in the Nishi District with whichever of Lelouch's debit cards she had managed to procure that day.

Then CC would have a light snack.

Then CC would take the Yamanote Line to Harajuku and throw trail mix at the cosplayers.

Saving some trail mix for herself of course.

Finally CC would return to Shinjuku and walk around Shinjuku-Chuo Park until her work started, hanging out with the hipsters and the homeless and feeding the pigeons.

Yes, CC had a very tight schedule to keep, after several seconds she got up, ruffled Suzaku's hair and poked Lelouch's face, before retreating to her room to decide what to wear for that day. Something colourful perhaps, if she wanted to be throwing trail mix today she'd have to blend in with the cosplayers first by wearing something colourful and garish, once she'd gained their trust she would then attack from the centre.

That way they had a chance to run.

CC enjoyed chasing after them, it made it funnier somehow.

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Kallen slammed down her fifth…no, sixth glass of Sake on the bar with a loud _thump_ and Ohgi, against all his instinctive needs to inform young Kallen of the dangers of excessive drinking, wisely kept his mouth shut. To interrupt Kallen's tirade of obscenities and gulps of alcohol was to invite her abuse onto ones face. And Ohgi bruised like a peach. Maybe Tamaki with his lack of thinking before speaking and his wide mouth would take a hit for the team and attempt to help Kallen see the light and stop drinking her petite weight in fermented rice and whiskey. Just as Ohgi was entertaining this hope he caught Tamaki's eye, surveying Tamaki's unusually serious face and the slow but firm shaking of Tamaki's head.

Tamaki had guessed what Ohgi had been thinking.

And the shaking of his head silently but clearly stated 'Fuck no man, I ain't going there'.

And that was the end of that.

Ohgi sipped his Chinese tea quietly.

To his left Kallen pushed her empty glass across the bar towards Tamaki, an unquestioned demand for a refill, an unquestioned demand that Tamaki immediately consented to as Kallen instead used her now-free mouth to continue her account of her atrocious job interview that morning.

"And then! Then the fucker has the NERVE to actually grope my breasts! H-he didn't even fucking wait for me to finish my sentence before he's all grabby grabby!"

Kallen made grabby hand motions to accentuate her sentence, Ohgi's brow furrowed in sympathy towards his friend. He had gotten a text from Tamaki at around 4 detailing Kallen's experience that morning and as soon as his final class had ended Ohgi had cycled from the school he worked at to join Tamaki in consoling the furious Kallen. Ohgi, being significantly older than Kallen, had always felt protective over the woman, having known Kallen from a young age through her brother, who was unfortunately no longer with them. He also understood Kallen's mother, and the pressure Kallen had put herself under to get a job. And despite all of Kallen's attempts to stand by herself, moving her and her mother into their own apartment and fiercely shrugging away her father's financial offers, Ohgi still saw her in the same way he saw his students, painfully young.

She was a brave and strong woman, Kallen, and fully capable in almost everything she did but she still had that awkward teenage girl inside of her, the girl Ohgi had seen all those years ago, struggling and teary-eyed when faced with her brother's death, her father's betrayal and the weight of her mother's condition. And there was also still that rebellious teenager inside Kallen, that ferocious temper that could blind Kallen to sense and logic, the temper which had thwarted yet another one of Kallen's attempts to grow that very morning.

Not that Ohgi blamed Kallen in any way; she had every right to be angry at that perverse interviewer, but she didn't _have _to throw the man over his desk. Christ, Kallen could go to court for that, or prison. That's if they found her that is, Kallen was a smart girl and she knew how to cover her tracks after all. And besides, Ohgi reassured himself that the interviewer probably wouldn't have the balls to press charges against Kallen, not many men would after being manhandled by a woman. Especially a woman like Kallen.

"It had been such a perfect job too-"

Ohgi perked up at the sudden change of mood; during his contemplation Kallen's mood had turned from fury and violence to depression and mirth with her seventh glass of Sake. Turning his head towards her he found Kallen visibly drooping, her head bowed and her chin balanced precariously on the rim of her glass, patterned with a conspicuous pink lipstick mark, imprinted from her continuous glugging. She blew into the glass, "I could have had that job, and I could have done that job well." Kallen reflected in remorse, the vibrations of her murmurs causing ripples to dance across the sake in her glass.

"If not for my fucking stupid fucking temper, I mean for fucks sake if I had just controlled myself I could be sitting at a desk by now doing fucking Nakano's fucking accounting."

This was bad, Ohgi surmised, even Kallen's red mane had visibly drooped, laying flat on her neck. He softly laid a hand on Kallen's shoulder, directing her attention towards him. He smiled at her "You're not to blame for anything Kallen, sure your temper gets you into trouble sometimes but what that guy did wasn't right, you were defending yourself" Ohgi stated with clear conviction in his teachers voice. Kallen sniffed, "I didn't have to defend myself from him Ohgi, he was like 5 inches shorter than me and old and fat, what I did was assault rather than defence". Tamaki slammed a hand down onto the bar top and grinned widely "Then what you did was kick the bastard's ass! Deservedly so, no prick's going to get his way with Kallen the Killer!" Ohgi sighed whilst Kallen laughed into her glass. Tamaki pointed a finger at Kallen, who lifted her head at the gesture, her eyes crossing to follow the protruding digit as Tamaki continued his speech.

"That asshole got what was coming to him; the dumbass should've known the second you walked in the room that you were a woman not to be messed with. That old Kallen here could knock out a guy twice her size with a single punch!"

He demonstrated by boxing the air, Kallen perked up, her drunken laughter infectious as Ohgi began to chuckle wholeheartedly as Tamaki continued to punch his imaginary opponent. Kallen coughed into her hand, her laughter never ceasing. She punched the bar top "Your right! That guy did deserve it! That should teach him not to grope every woman who comes threw his door!" Kallen preached, Tamaki whooped in response "Hell yeah! What you did was a civic duty Kallen!" "Fuck yeah I did!" Ohgi chuckled softly again, shaking his head. Kallen always bounced back; it just took a few friends and some consoling-

"Tamaki! Another glass pronto!"

-And alcohol of course. Lots and lots of alcohol.

Perhaps too much alcohol Ohgi thought, later on when the sky began to darken and other customers started approaching Tamaki's bar. Following around half a barrel of Sake Kallen had decided to take her leave and, infused after a drinking contest with Tamaki and a rejuvenation of her 'I am woman, hear me roar' attitude, had refused Ohgi's offer to escort her home. Ohgi watched as she walked fairly in a straight-line down the lane towards the road bordering Golden-gai. 'She's a smart girl' Ohgi repeated in his mind, he saw Kallen get to the road and attempt to drunkenly cross it unknowingly causing a car to brake, the driver of which yelled obscenities at Kallen in anger. Kallen raised a hand and delivered a one-finger salute, a move answered by furious beeping of the car horn on the driver's part. Tossing her head Kallen strutted across the remainder of the road. Ohgi's mind reassured him again-

'She's a SMART GIRL.'

-and Ohgi returned to sipping his tea.

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A pigeon swooped down from a tree to perch on CC's lap, pecking at the breadcrumbs in her offered hand, the homeless man sitting next to CC on the bench whistled in wonderment. "Them bird's sure do like you's lady" the homeless man, whom CC had named Dave in her head, stated. CC lifted her free hand to stroke the feathered breast of the pigeon, "It's because we share the same wants in life" CC answered.

"What? Flight? Freedom?"

"No. Free food."

'Dave' laughed, a booming and full sound, which effectively sent the pigeon flying in fright, CC blinked and instead tilted her hand, sweeping the remainder of the breadcrumbs on the ground in front of her, a flock of pigeons answering her gift. CC leaned back to look up at the darkened sky, the lights of the skyscrapers surrounding Shinjuku-Chuo park subduing the stars in the soon-to-be night sky, CC reached into the pocket of her white coat and withdrew her Iphone. She held the mobile above her, the LCD screen casting a glow across her face, and checked the time. 19:21. She still had about an hour until she was expected at work and, having finished feeding the birds and hanging out with her new homeless friend, CC was now out of things to do. CC turned her head towards 'Dave' who was watching the sky just as eagerly as she, clutching his blue-plastic wrapped pillow, knowing that when night properly fell that was when the bums were allowed to roll out their possessions and take up residence for the night. CC relinquished her space on the bench and 'Dave' gratefully swung his legs, clad in purple spandex leggings, up onto the rest of the bench. "Thanks lady" he chimed as CC pocketed her phone, "later Dave" CC replied as she walked off, sending the pigeons flying once more, the heels of her bike-boots echoing on the ground.

CC walked aimlessly, humming an aimless song, aimlessly looking up at the sky.

Eventually her eye line drew in the harrowing heights of the metropolitan government building; CC looked around her and found herself in the open space of Shinjuku-Niagara, the sound of the man-built waterfall flowing to her left. CC shifted in her coat, due to the open area a colder breeze ran fluidly, CC bowed her head and watched fallen cherry blossom petals flit around her feet, bowing to the power of the wind. This simple display enthralled CC's attention until a drawling but loud moan directed CC's head away from the ground and towards the waterfall. The visual of the waterfall setting enthralled CC's attention in place of the ground and dancing petals, the visual being not the waterfall but rather the woman stumbling towards it.

The woman was tall, mostly due to the heels she wore (the first thing CC noticed, they clacked loudly against the hard cement ground), and possessed _amazing_ legs (the second thing CC noticed, in typical cinematic camera-sweep action CC seemed to be starting her way from the bottom). Amazing legs which criss-crossed and jerked when the woman stumbled.

'Ah' CC realized 'She's drunk'.

The inhibited woman eventually came to stand at the edge of the artificial waterfall, seemingly mesmerized by the continuous falling and sloshing of water that generally came with waterfalls. CC stared as the woman murmured and moaned again, brushing a hand through her red (Cerise red? CC couldn't tell in this light) mane, dropping her bag beside her and taking a shaky step back. The woman's right ankle twisted inwards in a way that CC assumed could be nothing but painful, an assumption that gained evidence when the redhead yelped before growling loudly in anger. CC heard the woman swear and moan "damn fucking heels" with slipping and drunk pronunciation, in unclear English but English nonetheless, before she bent over thrusting a hand down to remove the accursed shoe from her right foot. She then stumbled drunkenly as she removed the other heel, then with an almighty yell the woman staggered forward and threw the shoes into the pond of water surrounding the waterfall. And the splash the heel's made upon impact was quite spectacular considering the lack of real depth the pond held.

What was more spectacular, CC inwardly commented, was the way in which the woman lost her balance and fell forward into the pond, creating a splash significantly more spectacular than the splash made before by the shoes the fallen woman had once worn on her (now wet) feet.

The redhead shouted incoherently in protest of the water, drawing the attention of any wanderer's within the area. CC watched as the woman continued to struggle, it was frightfully obvious that this woman wasn't just drunk but thoroughly so. In any other state she would of gotten up and walked away embarrassed and shamed by now, and most likely shoeless. However, due to being completely sozzled this woman seemed to be able to do no more but raise her body up on her arms, slip and fall face forward into the water again. At this, probably exhausted from her efforts to stand, the woman seemed to give up and collapsed asleep (unconscious) with her face sideways in the water. At this CC started to approach, although she had been content with just watching up until now as a random witness CC wasn't about to let someone die from drowning in 2 inches of water. I mean, what an embarrassing and pointless way to die, by drowning in a depth of water that even a squirrel couldn't drown in.

Eventually CC reached the woman and deemed her out of it, completely. CC crouched down and lifted the woman's head out of the water, feeling her pulse at the same time. She was still breathing though so that was good, probably. CC brought the woman's head to rest on her knees and used a hand to push aside soaked wet strands, using her free hand CC once again reached for her phone to check the time. 19:32. She glanced back down at the woman, who was now breathing deeply but evenly, and then up at the approaching concerned witnesses who began to gather around the waterfall, enquiring about the woman's condition.

"Is she ok?"

"Oh god i-is she breathing?"

"Holy shit she's dead!"

"Dude, she's hot for a dead chick."

CC looked at her phone again. 19:33. She pocketed her mobile before attempting to stand up, the woman's body weighing her down at first. Eventually CC was able to stand up, the redhead's now softly-breathing body half-draped over her smaller form, and CC sighed heavily. "She's fine" answered CC finally, causing a wave of relief to wash over the swarm, a civilian approached them both, "Can you manage her?" CC nodded, another approached and CC started to feel a wee bit trapped. "I can call an ambulance. Do you know her?" he asked, CC thought for a moment and then slowly nodded.

"Yeah I know her, she's my parole officer."

True to CC's predictions the crowd began to move away, some eyeing CC with visible wariness. CC blinked. Eventually CC was able to drag herself and the redhead's weight over to where the woman's fallen messenger bag lay, shrugging the woman's body onto her side CC knelt down and grabbed the bag. Looking back at the waterfall she decided to not attempt to retrieve the heels. The smell of wet shoes was unpleasant after all. With that, CC shrugged the bag onto her right shoulder and with bent knees and an upstart push was able to lug the body up onto her left. In return she received a questioning grunt from the body who perhaps had managed to regain consciousness by this point, CC murmured "Don't worry, your safe" and delivered a friendly pat to the woman's lower back. The body grunted again sleepily before it went limp again. And with that confirmation of cooperation, CC set off back towards her apartment feeling strangely triumphant, why, she didn't know.

* * *

It took around 30 minutes for CC to finally reach her front door and she found herself, upon reaching said door, in quite a predicament. With her arms and most of the structure of her body set in holding up the unconscious redhead CC was not able to reach her keys in her left pocket. Looking down at the floor, a great look of concentration on CC's usually emotionless face sprouted forward, uninterrupted until her ultra-sensitive nose picked up the smell of cooking food coming from inside her apartment. Lelouch's pasta to be precise, Lelouch's pesto and cheese Gnocchi pasta to be even more precise. God knows how that boy managed to find Gnocchi pasta in the middle of Shinjuku, but he did, and CC loved him and his inbuilt housewife instincts for it. The point was, food aside, that Lelouch was in. And with that, for inability of hand to knock or foot to kick the door, CC stepped forward and positioned the unconscious woman's curvy backside to butt against the door twice, producing a satisfyingly loud _thump_.

After a while CC heard footsteps approaching and soon the door opened to reveal Lelouch, and from Lelouch's point of view he opened the door to reveal CC carrying an inanimate, damp woman. Looking at it that way it's understandable to consider Lelouch's answering gape of disbelief lasting for several seconds until CC brought him back to earth.

"Close your mouth Lelouch, I'm sure your boyfriend enjoys that face but it's not working wonders for me to be honest."

"Did you KILL someone?"

"…What?"

"In the back of my head I've always sub-consciously anticipated this happening but…Jesus."

CC had the decency to look mildly insulted, she tossed her head back.

"She's not dead genius, I didn't and most likely will never kill anyone and there better be enough pasta for you to make up for your statement just now, because you really hurt my feelings."

"Bullcrap" answered Lelouch, but he stood aside anyway so that CC could let herself, and her not-dead friend threw.

CC made way for her bedroom, nudging the door open using the redhead's very useful derriere, and deposited the body onto her bed in a graceless manner. CC keeled over and breathed deeply, nursing her aching knees and dropping the strangers bag to the floor, bracing herself for Lelouch's approaching steps. "What the hell's going on here CC?" CC whipped herself back up and turned her head towards Lelouch who had taken up a very strategic position leaning against the doorframe and blocking the exit.

CC blinked. She then fumbled around in her coat pockets and eventually procured a small plastic covered item, a memory stick, and tossed it towards Lelouch. He caught it, looked down at the gift indifferently before looking back up at CC, "This is nice, thanks. Now who the fuck is she?" CC shrugged.

"Dunno."

"You don't know."

"Yup."

"Then why is she here?"

"I found her, I rescued her from drowning."

"You rescued her from drowning."

"Yeah, from the waterfall near Chuo park"

"How can she nearly drown in 2 inches of water?"

"She was drunk; she passed out and fell in. Oh, which reminds me-"

CC then walked over to the bed and, surveying the softly breathing body of the woman, sat down on the bed and began to unbutton the woman's blouse. She heard Lelouch sigh heavily-

"What are you doing CC?"

"Only her upper body fell into the water I think, it's freezing February outside, if she wears this for much longer she'll get a cold"

-and she proceeded to unbutton buttons.

It was a nice blouse, quite tasteful really.

There was silence until Lelouch replied dismissively "Somehow this just looks wrong, like, really wrong".

And as CC unbuttoned the last button she heard Lelouch leave and close her bedroom door behind him. CC propped the woman up, who gave out a soft snore, and shifted the wet blouse from her body, dropping it to the floor beside her bed. CC looked down. 'Wow' CC thought, 'WOW'.

CC had always been pretty indifferent about her body, but in the face of this woman's Greek Goddess-like breasts her own reasonably sized assets felt inadequate and mortal. Shaking her head slightly CC then proceeded to slip the blankets over the woman's sleeping form, tucking them around her like a nest. CC stood back and surveyed her good deed for the day, the woman looked pretty healthy, the colour had returned to her cheeks and she seemed peaceful enough.

The woman suddenly shifted, her eyelids lifting slightly, CC waved and the woman gave a sleepy snort, closing her eyes and turning her face into the pillow.

Suddenly a digitalized beeping rang out; CC fished her pockets for her phone, to confirm the source of the beeping to be her phones reminder that she had 15 minutes till she was due at work. With one last look at the sleeping redhead, CC turned and exited her room, quietly closing the door behind her. She quickly padded over to the kitchen where Lelouch was just finishing off the pasta, god it smelt good, she drifted at the edge of the kitchen for a while to take it in, before forlornly accepted that she had no time to properly consume and enjoy the pasta. She instead burrowed into the kitchen and retrieved her work clothes from atop the kitchen island, where they had been dutifully but probably reluctantly washed and ironed by housewife-Lelouch. CC shrugged off her coat and pulled her shirt off over her head, absently throwing it behind her onto Lelouch who just now noticed her presence in his kitchen. He frowned. "You're going to work?" he asked, CC slipped her work shirt on relishing in its recently-ironed warmth, "yup".

"You just brought back an unconscious stranger to our apartment and you're STILL going to work?"

"Indeed."

CC could practically _hear _Lelouch's frown deepen. "I'm not looking after your stray" she heard him state; she managed to roll off her jeans without removing her boots and proceeded to put on her black work trousers. She smirked to herself "Yeah you will, consider it a favour to me" she heard Lelouch scoff and start looking in the cupboard for a bowl. CC zipped up her jeans and reached for her coat, as she put it on she affirmed "I'll be back at around 1, she won't be awake till then I'm guessing", she succeeded in zipping up her coat and turned around to watch Lelouch serve his pasta into a beige bowl, as he opened the draw to get a fork he met her gaze. He frowned and consented "so long as she's not in my way, and you better be back soon, she's your bloody patient" he found a fork and pierced a piece of pasta. CC smiled "thanks honey" and with that she whisked away from him his bowl of pasta and his fork, exiting out the front door with the speed of a cat.

She could always eat whilst running after all.

* * *

**20th February 2011 EDIT: **mispelled Ohgi's name continuously. It **annoyed **me.**  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I gave that bitch a Geass, bitches love Geass. Do not own.

**Soliloquy: **Wow, quite a lot of story alerts but not so many favourites. So it seems my story has been good enough to pique your interest but not good enough to earn a place on your holy mantle of Favouritism? Ah well, just means I'll have to work harder. Sorry if this took a while, what I do when I write is decide the exact events that happen in each chapter and just...sort of lazily write _around_ them. Maybe if I planned better I could pull 'em out faster? hurrhurr. Anyways onto the fic with MOAR BRACKETS.

* * *

**I guess we could date**

**Chapter 3**

**

* * *

**

The first time Kallen opened her eyes, she noticed it was dark and in her eye line was a Garfield novelty alarm clock.

She blinked lazily, as if to affirm the sight.

What a strange clock to wake up to.

Kallen half-heartedly pulled herself onto her back and found herself looking up at an unfamiliar ceiling. She started evaluating her situation, she was not in her bed (this she knew indefinitely, her ceiling was white, not brown, and she certainly didn't own any clocks with popular western comic characters on the face) and thus she was not in her home. There was the faint sound of a television running somewhere nearby, so she was somewhere that was currently inhabited. She was topless and shoeless, but still adorned her bra, skirt and pantyhose, so she could only hope she hadn't hooked up with someone.

And, this she recalled, there had been green. Lime green to be exact. In conclusion, Kallen was somewhere she had never been, with green television-watching people. Wonderful.

She sniffed sleepily and decided that the bed she was in was just too annoyingly comfortable to kick up too much of a fuss at the moment. She snuggled back into the pillow and breathed in a strangely comforting scent of lilies and…pizza. A weird combination but a seemingly real combination of smells, unless stores had started selling Pizza-scented laundry powder.

And for some reason it was quite a nice combination, and thus Kallen nodded back off to sleep, surrounded by an unknown location and duvets that smelt of deep-pan and mozzarella.

* * *

Lelouch was in a bad mood, which was not an unusual thing whatsoever.

In fact it would be safe to say that Lelouch was almost always in a bad mood, explaining his near-constant frown and phlegmatic demeanour, except for the small amounts of times in which true happiness forced its way into his life. Such as whenever his dear little sister was around or those rare times when Suzaku offered to bottom for once, an offer that never followed through (because Suzaku had issues like that and Lelouch couldn't seem to garner the physical aptitude to force him) but nonetheless Lelouch was quite happy whenever the offers occurred.

At this moment in time, Lelouch's ever-present bad mood was prevalent because of his pasta-stealing roommate and her inexhaustible ability to make life a good deal harder for him. In fact CC made his life so much harder that Lelouch for a while believed that supernatural forces had decided to punish him for amusement and had sent CC, who seemed to have ascended from hell he guessed, to plague his life with endless demands for food and many a red sock placed in the white laundry.

After a few weeks of knowing her, Lelouch's logic beat away the supernatural theories and he concluded that CC was simply a uniquely annoying person, and it was something she seemed to pride herself on too.

Lelouch sighed deeply as a reflex to his inner-montage of CC's presence within his life, bringing a forkful of leftover pasta to his lips he attempted to concentrate again on the Ten O'clock news. Japanese news was really quite strange sometimes; Lelouch mused as the conclusion to the exclusive exposé on the illegal smuggling of raiment duck bills from Taiwan to Naha flashed across the screen ('Authorities have confirmed six dead and sixty-five taken into custody'), but hell at least it was something to watch.

And at least it was something to distract him from thinking about the unconscious stranger found and dumped by said pasta-filching roommate that was currently within the next room doing god knows what. She could be awake by now for all he knew, the woman could be pretending to still be asleep but in actuality be looting CC's room and a panic arose within Lelouch at the possibility. But it came to be a fleeting panic; because since it was CC's belongings the maybe-sleeping-but-not-really woman was stealing Lelouch couldn't summon the energy to really give a crap. But this stranger could _still_ have woken by now, or she could have spewed in her sleep and perhaps choked on her own vomit, the woman could be dead by now.

And THAT would be bad. Because god knows Lelouch would have to be the one to clean THAT up, seeing as how CC didn't lift a damn finger, not to mention that prospective values on the apartment would plummet, the Japanese were quite superstitious after all and would object to buying a home that someone had died in by way of suffocating on their own substantial puke.

Lelouch tapped the fork against his lips and beat down the urge to go to the other room to check on the (possibly deceased) woman, an urge deeply rooted within him from years of caring for his (precious and pure) little sister that generally prompted Lelouch to want to protect and attend to any particularly indisposed member of the 'fairer' sex. She was CC's sodding pick-up and CC could bloody well nurse the woman herself when she got back from her job. In fact, Lelouch reasoned to himself frostily, that damn harpy should have just stayed home from her stupid job in the first place so that she could be HERE so that Lelouch didn't have to be.

Lelouch always had a mild case of insomnia early in the week, this CC knew, and would usually go out at night to tire himself out so that he'd be able to get at least a bit of sleep around 3 in the morning, this CC also knew. That very night Suzaku also had had a late shift on paperwork duty and Lelouch _had _been planning to camp out on Suzaku's desk down at the Station with a flask of Decaf and a paperback of 'Death in Venice' until the waves of sleep eventually overcame him.

Undoubtedly CC also knew this.

On other activities (cleaning, cooking and physical movement) the girl could not muster the enthusiasm but when it came to slowly but surely dismantling Lelouch's happiness and wellbeing, CC did not do anything by halves.

In just several moves CC had not only managed to ruin Lelouch's prospective plans for the night but also take a swing at his first mutually satisfying romantic relationship and dump an unconscious 'damsel in distress' on him. Lelouch had to give CC a Mental-Touché on the effectiveness of her actions…

Although he was still pissed off at her.

Majorly so.

Perhaps the woman _was_ from hell…

'No, not possible' Lelouch surmised as he got up to make his flask of Decaf nonetheless, 'I doubt even hell would put up with her.'

* * *

CC _loved _her job.

Cross her heart and swear honesty to Lord, Mary and all her other favourite fictional characters.

CC could rarely name another pastime that brought more joy to her life than her job; neither could she name an occurrence that brought her more benefits and personal security.

Yes, being a Pizza Hut delivery girl was CC's reason for living.

Indefinitely.

Certainly fleeting sadness of rather immense proportions came to CC in those inevitable moments when she actually had to _give _the pizza to those who had ordered it, but the short time they spent together when CC sped through the Shinjuku streets on her delivery bike like a vermillion bullet was truly magical. It was rather like that black and white British film Lelouch always got 'something in his eye' about, _Brief Encounter_, except with less Celia Johnson and more Camembert Deluxe.

Being the Delivery Girl was certainly more rewarding than the other positions CC had tried (and failed) to prosper at within her particular Pizza Hut branch. At first being welcomed into the Pizza Hut family CC had been stationed at the door as a Host, tasked to tempt in hungry families and gaggles of schoolgirls and their collective incomes and usher them to their inbuilt plastic seats with a cheerful smile. Which was hard, because CC didn't do 'cheerful'. She could do 'mildly effervescent' with enough time and preparation, but never did a 'cheerful smile' pass her lips. This made Hosting difficult for CC, coupled with her inability to convince enough customers through the front doors (done on purpose of course, why would CC want _other _people to be eating the pizza _she _could be eating?) made her expulsion from the role inevitable.

However the Manager had taken pity on her (it helped that CC had been wearing a tank top that day) and instead gave CC the job of Waitress. Which didn't last for long, considering CC's less then pleasant approach to strangers/customers and the fact that, in the short distance it took taking a tray of food from the kitchen to the table, at least half the meal would be mysteriously vanished by the time the tray was delivered. Much to the confusion of the customers, the Manager and the general public because it just simply wasn't _possible _to eat _that_ much food in the short time difference between the kitchens and the eating tables…was it?

Whenever she was asked this, CC blinked and shrugged as if the matter had nothing to do with her whatsoever.

And so CC was shifted around from position to position, at one time she was a Kitchen Assistant (but CC kept on pocketing the toppings and nibbling at the _raw _pizza bases) and at another time she was a Cleaner (But CC didn't clean, and made such an unusually expressive face whenever asked to clean that co-workers became afraid to tell her to) until eventually CC was given a role that she could actually do.

Being a night Delivery Girl was an unfavourable position within CC's particular Pizza Hut branch, because most of her co-workers were partying Shinjuku-folks who refused to spend their nights toting a moped around, but since CC not only had no apprehension against working nights (CC was a night owl by nature and she still got weekends off anyway) but could also drive a moped passably well, CC was soon making around 7 deliveries a night on average to homes, university campuses and late-night office moonlightings. And the people generally tipped well, compensating for the measly pay, and lo and behold there was a great discount on all pizza selections that came as soon as you put on that crimson helmet, so CC was very happy with her job because of it.

There was also a real thrill that came with having the potential to run people over.

Not that you could do much damage with a Pizza Hut moped...a tractor maybe but not a moped.

As CC sped past the Odakyu Halc department store her mind drifted away from what it should have been doing, focusing on the busy road in front of her where a cornucopia of rainbow Toyota had sprouted for the late night rush, and instead CC took the time to mull over the woman with the Greek-Goddess rack whom she had dumped and left back at her apartment. Whilst it was not particularly unusual for CC to welcome strangers into her home (the strangers usually being 'one night and half a morning' stands) she at least made a point to learn their name and occupation before allowing them into her abode to sleep in her bed and put their feet up on Lelouch's freshly polished Liatorp IKEA coffee table.

But this woman had been different somehow; CC couldn't put her finger on exactly what was different though. She was unconscious for one thing, which was certainly different (CC might have been willing to experiment but she wasn't _that_ experimental). She was pissed-drunk for another thing-wait...no, that wasn't too different looking back on past hook-up's... well whatever, the point WAS, was that this woman had been in need of help. And that help had turned out be given from the hand of CC who honestly wasn't all that used to being the 'helper' and not the 'helped'.

'Its nice' CC thought as she pulled up to the entrance of the Keio Plaza Hotel, 'to be depended on' and with that CC decided that she would nurse this lost and forlorn stranger she had picked up out of the Chuo Park waterfall from whatever plight the girl had put herself in. Or just give her pills for her hangover, whatever.

With that decision CC's walk turned into a deliberate stride as she took out the warm, cardboard box (Why would people staying in a 5-star hotel want Pizza Hut? CC inwardly shrugged. Why not?) from the moped holdall and made towards the lobby, ignoring the Doorman who tried to tell her that she wasn't allowed to park there.

* * *

Kallen first felt the sting of morning rather than saw it.

The undeniable shade of red made by the morning light canopied the back of her eyelids and FUCK it HURT. Kallen groaned, the borders of her eyelids began to flicker in protest of the light and she turned her head into the soft pillow in rejection of the initiative to wake. Unfortunately it seemed she had turned her head _towards _the source of light as the shade lightened from red to a dark, sickly orange, prompting Kallen to groan in annoyance and pain.

She heard a _shhhh_, then a shift of blankets and the sound of the mattress protesting at a sudden extra weight. And then Kallen felt the weight dip down the strip of mattress she was specifically on, and a darker shade of red suddenly overtook the back of her left eyelid, grateful for the change in light Kallen turned her head towards the shadow. There was a low, amused feminine chuckle and suddenly the weight seemed to take perch _on top of her_ causing a startled Kallen to finally stretch her eyelids open to reluctantly welcome the morning and whatever it was this chuckling weight happened to be.

What met Kallen's eyes, in extreme close-up, was a pale figure crouched on all fours atop her bedclothes, Kallen tried to blink the sleep from her eyes and dully registered that the Green being from before had seemingly returned. Kallen made to open her mouth to groan when the figure raised a pale forefinger to Kallen's lips and, in a hypnotists voice, whispered, "Don't speak, I command it."

And since at this point Kallen was still blinking the sleep from her eyes and could not respond beyond her grogginess she saw no reason to object to this 'command' and obediently closed her mouth.

The being, now clearly identified as a human of some sort, gave a pleased hum before reaching a nimble hand to Kallen's face and extending a thin finger into her eye line. The woman inserted the finger into the soft crevice at the corner of Kallen's left eye and slowly excavated the brittle stalactite of sleep that was lodged there. Flicking it off her finger the woman then, with the concentration of a surgeon and her tongue protruding from the side of her lips like a schoolgirl, delivered the same attention and process to Kallen's right eye, with the operation complete she gracefully slid back into a kneeling posture. Looking down at the now furiously blinking Kallen with an air of silent accomplishment and interest did the figure say "Good morning" and blink once in unison with Kallen.

Kallen craned her neck off the soft pillow and pulled the blanket up to her collarbone, feeling strangely violated and angrily possessive of her (now lost) sleep dust.

"What was that all about?"

"I was removing the sleep from your eyes; you have very nice eyes you know."

And the woman rested back on her haunches and played with an endless lock of (green, lime green) hair, looking unabashedly at Kallen, and somewhat expectedly as if she was waiting for a thank you. Kallen felt her brow furrow, "That's a strange thing to do", the woman wrapped several silky strands around a finger "You think so?" her head tilted to the side.

"Didn't you enjoy it?"

"Was I supposed to?"

"Naturally!"

And with that the woman leaped off of the bed to the floor, Kallen head followed her sudden movements and it was only then that Kallen registered the painful continuous _thud _in her head and the echoing _thump_ the woman's landing had produced. "Aw, fuck!" Kallen raised herself up to sit against the headboard, clasping her head and gritting her teeth in pain, a low hiss escaping her lips. Eventually the initial tirade against her skull ceased to a dull lull and Kallen drew her gaze up to the woman's who freely stared at her from the bedside, her arms curled behind her back.

Kallen frowned "Okay, who the fuck are you!" and received a painful jab courtesy of her aching nerves, the woman hummed in sympathy and reached out a hand, running it through Kallen's hair in a soft and slow motion, Kallen bristled in response.

"I'm being serious, who are you? Where the hell am I?"

"Shhhh dear, you mustn't strain yourself…"

"What the fu- I'm in an bed I've never been in with some stranger whose _petting_ me-"

Kallen furiously batted the pale hand away from her hair.

"- and my head hurts! Why the hell should I not _strain _myself! ?"

"Because there's no need to, don't worry your safe here."

The woman made towards the open door, glancing back over her shoulder with an amber gaze she then said "I rescued you from drowning after all" and Kallen was stunned into silence. The woman smirked, "Now stay in bed, I'll make you some hangover curing-drink or something-", and with that the woman swept through the doorway, closing the door behind her and leaving Kallen slumped against the headboard.

She rescued her from _what_?

_What the hell_?

This woman must be fucking crazy because, as far as Kallen knew, she was still in Shinjuku and there wasn't anything to _drown_ in!

Kallen threw the covers off her form and swept her feet over the side of the bed, she prodded the floor with a toe to make sure it was safe and stood up, wincing at her aching muscles that screamed in protest. Kallen whipped her head around the room, giving her neck a crick no doubt, in search for something familiar to her. She saw her bag on the wooden floorboards and sighed in relief, rummaging through the contents she found nothing missing and with a huff lifted it onto her shoulder. Feeling the rough material of the bag strap on her skin Kallen realized that she was currently topless and looked down at her bra-clad cleavage with a nervous glare. 'And shoeless too', her mind reminded her.

Kallen breathed deeply and hurriedly gazed around the perimeter of the floor, seeing no fiercely-detested heels and no breast-defining periwinkle blouse Kallen let loose a slurry of swears, whispered of course, in case the strange woman was actually just outside the door listening in on her every move and utterance.

Spying a cream dressing gown thrown carelessly over a wicker chair, Kallen quickly marched over and threw it on, wrapping its satin enclosure tightly around her chest. She'd just have to forego the footwear right now, _anything _to get out of this strange place.

Kallen tiptoed over to the door and slowly pulled it open, allowing in a sliver of the outside world and the sound of a crackly radio and a boiling kettle. Kallen dared to open the door a bit wider and peered through the gap. Her eyes perceived a well-furnished living area (a Liatorp coffee table? Nice) leading to an open kitchen area wherein a flash of lime green suddenly appeared.

Kallen shrunk back into the bedroom, due to the unmistakeable hair colour and the drifting radio-tones of Patsy Cline, Kallen guessed that the woman was in the kitchen. Taking in a deep breath Kallen carefully pushed open the door and craned her head out, her free hand clutching the dressing gown wrapped around her, lifting her gaze Kallen saw the woman was indeed in the kitchen (humming to _She's got you_) and spied what she hoped was the front door to the side of the kitchen. If she could creep unnoticed just past the sofa and then make a break for that door she'd be _free_. Kallen kept her eyes locked on the woman, hoping beyond hope that she would not turn her back, and made the first careful step into the living area.

"Your awake then?"

Kallen yelped in surprise, her parched throat producing a hoarse sound, and whipped her self around to see another person to her right who had suddenly appeared from no where. Oh god! There were two of them! She should have guessed that the crazy woman would have reinforcements, ridiculously good-looking ones too!

Which made the situation worse!

Or better. Kallen wasn't in a state to properly summarise the situation at the present time.

The second person, a tall slim distinctly foreign man, blinked before sighing deeply and turned his gaze away from the redhead, who was now hyperventilating slightly, towards the kitchen which the woman was now gazing from in interest.

"CC, your stray is panicking."

And with that said he walked over to the kitchen, beckoning lazily with a hand for Kallen to follow, which she did, dazed by the disruption of air to her lungs.

Kallen approached the kitchen area and peered in, keeping well away from the tall man who was now leaning back against a kitchen counter, and took in the green-haired woman from before who stood with an electric kettle in her hand, steam protruding from its spout. The woman gave her a nod, Kallen tipped her head somewhat in mutual greeting, and proceeded to pour water into a red-and-white striped tea-mug, a strong herbal smell wafting from its contents in response. The woman padded over and offered the tea-mug to Kallen, who looked at it in apprehension for a good few seconds before releasing her hands from their claw-like clutching of her bag strap and dressing gown to take the mug.

The woman (CC?) lifted the corners of her lips somewhat before turning to the man and stating "Breakfast." The man sighed deeply in response, suggesting that this was a usual statement, the exchange of "You're already in the kitchen, cook your own damn breakfast" and "I'd prefer if you did" that followed suggested that this was indeed a tireless routine. Kallen looked down at the few herbs that had drifted to the top of the green liquid in the mug, lifting it to her lips, she decided to drink the concoction and pray to the gods that it wasn't poison of some sort.

As it turned out it was tea.

It tasted good.

And it was the perfect temperature too. Really quite nice tea actually…

Having blocked out the two people (Kidnappers?) in favour of properly sampling the tea, Kallen lifted her gaze to them both, seeing that the man's handsome face now held an impossibly deep frown in contempt at the green-haired woman who, in contrast, held a face of cool indifference at the spatula he now brandished in her face. Kallen blinked and focused her ears enough just to hear the man huff furiously (and _still _look ridiculously good-looking) and turn his back to both women to wrench open the fridge, retrieving a carton of eggs, slamming the door shut before stomping over to the oven. Kallen felt a hand gently clasp her arm; she turned her head towards the woman who nodded behind her in the direction of the living area, taking padded steps towards it. Kallen obediently followed, still sipping at her tea.

The woman sat her down on the sofa, placing the cushions specifically around her to provide a comfortable wall of material to lean back against, before plopping down next to her. The woman drew her legs up to her chest, folding her arms atop them, and stared at her. Kallen stared back.

"So, Kallen-"

"How do you know my name?"

"Your wallet, its on your drivers licence."

Kallen remembered her bag, still hanging off her shoulder, and shrugged it off to the floor next to the sofa, the woman leaned forward a bit as if to provoke an intimate atmosphere, in actuality Kallen felt a bit cornered. "My names CC." Kallen slowly nodded, giving a cough and lifting the warm mug to her lips again. The woman, CC's, head tilted to the side causing a curtain of lime green to spill over her shoulder, "Is it good?" CC asked.

Kallen made an agreeing sound deep in her throat, which was now satisfyingly watered, and found that the pain in her head had now all but disappeared, having ceased due to the tea she supposed. Kallen nodded and felt somewhat more inclined to be grateful towards the stranger. A distinguished scoff sounded from the kitchen and the mans comment "Careful drinking her tea, that be witches brew oh holy innocent", dripping with sarcasm, drew Kallen's attention over to the kitchen.

The man had replaced his spatula in favour of a chopping knife and before Kallen could allow her fear and paranoia to peak again the man indicated with a fine hand the small assortment of greenery that had suddenly gathered on the kitchen island.

"I'm making French omelettes, do you prefer chervil or rosemary?" the man asked and Kallen stammered in her reply ('Oh god, he could _cook_?') "Um…the first one please." The man smiled slightly before turning to get a chopping board, Kallen contented herself with admiring the graceful sweep of his shoulders and the slim, straight line of his back hidden beneath a clean and ironed white shirt. Feeling the blush rise to her cheeks Kallen was grateful for the distraction of CC tapping her shoulder, turning her head towards her Kallen found CC smirking in amusement. "Don't get your hopes up; Lelouch is about as straight as a pretzel."

"…he's gay?"

"_Spectacularly_ gay."

Kallen looked back at this 'Lelouch', a fleeting stab of woe within her chest at the revelation of homosexuality, and found herself thinking 'Duh.' Looking at him in this new light Kallen could perceive Lelouch as being 'beautiful' rather than handsome and he did seem a bit _too _clean, his hair _too_ perfectly styled and his posture was rather _too_ perfectly poised to suggest overwhelming heterosexuality.

Kallen was a bit ashamed of herself for adhering to stereotypes but looking at Lelouch from this angle it was pretty fucking obvious.

Kallen's brow furrowed once more and CC chuckled lightly as if she could read Kallen's thoughts. Kallen frowned and looked CC straight in the eye, "Where am I?" CC scratched lightly at her pale wrist.

"Shinjuku Nishi."

"Which part?"

"1."

"And how did I get here?"

"You nearly drowned, I saved you remember?"

"I nearly drowned. In the _middle _of the _city_ your saying you saved me from _drowning_?"

"Yes, yes I am. You were really drunk and you fell over into that waterfall, y'know the one in Chuo Park?"

"…I nearly drowned in 2 inches of water?"

"Yup, but I saved you just in time."

"…Wow…thanks I guess...that would have been a really embarrassing way to die."

"I know right."

A strangely comfortable silence passed between the two women, Kallen shifted in her seat and consented to cuddle back against the cushions upon seeing CC's pointed stare. the silence lasted for a good while.

Suddenly Kallen registered that an almost _orgasmic _look had come over CC's face, her pert little nose sniffing in great heaps of the air. Kallen was confused until the near-heavenly scent of food overcame her senses. It was _good _food too, she could tell. _Magnificent _food even, and as CC leapt up from the sofa and bounded into the kitchen Kallen looked over to see Lelouch holding up a plate of perfectly colourless French omelette and smiling warmly at her. "Omelettes ready."

Kallen cursed the gods of sexuality, for putting such a man on earth and having him be not the _slightest bit _interested in the female form (he didn't even bat an eyelid at CC's skimpy attire of white vest and lemon-yellow short shorts and Kallen's black lacy bra courtesy of the open dressing gown, how was that _fair_?).

Kallen collected herself, standing up and walking towards the kitchen, her stomach growling in anticipation. Those omelettes smelt _good_, Kallen bet that Lelouch was a great cook (the type that cleaned up too) and entertained the thought of maybe asking him to teach her how to cook. Hell, maybe she could get herself a gay best friend out of all this craziness? Kallen's mind started to drift, maybe he could teach her how to 'poach cook' Kallen had always wondered what the hell 'poach cooking' was and her mother had just said the other day how 'poached teriyaki chicken was her favourite…'-

The tea mug made a loud _smash _as it hit the floor; CC looked up from where she was drowning her omelette in loganberry syrup, a green eyebrow arched in confusion.

Kallen had clasped a shaking hand to her mouth a look of horror on her face so great that even Lelouch was stunned into silence, stopping his inevitable comments of anger at the mess the broken tea-mug was making. "Oh god" Kallen murmured, her breathing quickened and her voice rose in pitch, "oh shit, shit SHIT!" CC put her plate on the counter and padded over.

"Kallen?" CC blinked as Kallen's head suddenly whipped up her eyes blown wide and her lips quivering, "what's wrong?"

"M-my mother…oh god, what the fuck am I doing-?"

"Kallen calm down-"

"I can't calm down! What the hell am I doing here, standing in some stranger's apartment…shit; I've been here all night! She doesn't know where I am!"

CC laid her hands on Kallen's shoulders, "Who doesn't know-?" Kallen bolted out of her grasp, "Kallen, seriously, BREATH." Kallen clawed a hand through her hair, "My mothers at home, she has no idea where I am and she's by herself and-"CC was suddenly there in her space "What? Doesn't your mother let you out to play?" and a small amused smirk played across CC's lips.

Kallen slapped her.

Lelouch made an indignant yell from the kitchen as CC held a hand to her reddening cheek; Kallen seethed "I'm not supposed to be out 'playing'! My mother can't look after herself for fucks sake! She can't even remember how to make herself tea!" Kallen found herself keeling over, her lips gasping in deep nasally breaths. CC turned her head back to her, her hand rubbed her red cheek once-

"Ow."

Kallen looked back up at CC, then turning her head towards a cautious Lelouch who stood only a foot away. There was silence, save for Kallen's breathing. "Oh god" Kallen clutched the dressing gown to her, "oh fuck…CC I'm sorry, I shouldn't of-I mean you didn't know and" CC laid a hand above Kallen's head, silencing the redhead.

Seconds passed, Lelouch coughed to the side. And then, CC patted her head once, and then twice, before fixing Kallen with a blank stare.

"You need to get home right?"

* * *

Kallen, for the sixth time, spat green strands from her mouth and once again ranted over how impractical it was to have hair _that _long and still drive at an unrelenting and merciless speed. Ranting inwardly of course, lest she needlessly anger the woman driving the vehicle and the woman she was currently clinging onto for dear life. The last thing she needed was CC so pissed at her that she would brake suddenly and Kallen would find herself thrown onto the asphalt at 36 miles per hour.

CC was angry back at the apartment, this Kallen knew, and she was the worst kind of angry, _silently_ angry.

As in after CC had told Kallen that she would drop her off home CC had _silently _retreated to her bedroom to quickly dress, leaving Kallen with a sighing Lelouch who had pointedly directed Kallen towards her washed and ironed blouse, perfectly folded atop the washing machine. And after CC had appeared from her room, a fashionable white jumpsuit thrown on over her vest and short shorts, with a pair of high-tops for Kallen to borrow (a painful fit, because CC's feet were _tiny_) the two had taken the (long, long) elevator down, all the while CC remaining _silent_. And upon reaching CC's 'mode of transportation' CC had only allowed a short explanation and exchange-

"Pizza hut?"

"Yeah. I'm a Delivery girl."

"They let you keep the bike?"

"No, I forgot to take it back this morning because I was worried about the unconscious wet stranger I had in my bed."

-and then Kallen had felt guilty and CC had wordlessly handed her a crimson helmet with the Pizza Hut logo blazoned obnoxiously across the head and then, besides Kallen's quick and nervous utterance of her address (she only lived about a mile away), the _silence _had continued to reign and CC's unspoken anger was surely prevalent throughout. Kallen unconsciously loosened her arms around CC's waist, the silky curtain of lime green hair was once again shoved into Kallen's face as CC turned her head towards her.

"Don't let go, you have to keep your arms tight" and she wiggled her hips to shift Kallen's arms tighter around her slim waist. Kallen felt the heat rising to her cheeks once again. The helmet accidentally butted against the back of CC's head as CC turned back towards the road, and Kallen unconsciously pushed her head closer. Against lime-green locks she quietly murmured.

"I'm sorry."

And Kallen had tightened her grip, arms looped around that jumpsuit-clad waist, CC's shoulders shifting somewhat as the moped drove on, winding between endless lines of cars.

They eventually arrived in Kallen's street, pulling up to Café Haïti, several doors down from Kallen's small apartment block. CC kept the engine running as Kallen hoisted herself off the bike seat coming to stand upright on the pavement, in CC's tiny pinching shoes, taking off the helmet and shaking out her hair Kallen handed the crimson helmet to CC. As CC fastened the helmet on her own head, Kallen fiddled with the holdall box on the back of the moped, eventually figuring out how to unfasten the clasps and reaching inside to take out her messenger bag.

Kallen swung the bag up onto her shoulder and cleared her throat, turning towards CC all she saw was the shining red of the bike helmet (a sticker of that Pizza Hut mascot adorning the back) before CC sped off down the street, the still undone clasps of the holdall flinging to and fro.

Kallen stared after CC, riding away like a vermillion bullet, with her mouth hanging slightly open. She had wanted to say something, Kallen realized, but she wasn't sure what it was. Well, it didn't matter now. Kallen's lips closed and pursed together in a frown as CC drove out of sight.

Kallen winced with every step as she strode towards her apartment building; CC hadn't asked for her shoes back…what did that mean? Would Kallen have to return them? She really didn't want to go back to that apartment, despite how surprisingly close to hers it was. Would CC come back for her shoes? As she walked up the outdoor steel stairs that led up to her apartment door, Kallen imagined CC coming back to her home, her Pizza Hut moped like a vermillion mechanical steed, and demanding for her shoes back in a spitting feverous fury. Stifling a surprised laugh as she rummaged in her bag for her keys Kallen determined that, with her cool disposition and indifferent face, CC could never act in anyway adhering to a 'spitting feverous fury'.

Kallen wondered how she knew that.

And whether it was proper to make that sort of determination having known the woman for not even a day.

…What had happened to Kallen's own shoes anyway?

Kallen closed the front door behind her and took in the silence. Her resolve stiffened as she took in the familiar narrow hallway, dark from lack of natural or electric light, and that smell. Always that _smell_. Kallen coughed, "Mum?" she called out, her voice bouncing harshly against the walls. Kallen winced and called again, lowering her volume to something more decidedly pleasant.

"Mum, it's me. Kallen."

Kallen walked further into the apartment, eventually reaching the small, square kitchen that the rest of the apartment was built around. All thoughts of shoes and CC and Pizza Hut fled from Kallen's mind as she took in the figure sitting at the kitchen table. Her mother was there; still dressed in yesterday's clothes, staring down at that same bowl of muesli Kallen had left for her the previous morning the accompanying glass of orange juice tipped over sideways, the contents of which were in a puddle on the vinyl floor.

She must have accidentally tipped over the glass; she must have called for her daughter who had already left.

All of the doors leading from the kitchen were open, Kallen imagined her mother walking in confusion from room to room, calling her name.

The kitchen window curtains were open slightly; her mother always preferred the curtains closed because the neighbours scared her, but she must have been so confused as to Kallen's whereabouts that she had dared open the curtains to peek outside. And then she must have gotten frightened by something, the loud noises of the city maybe (?), and had returned, defeated, to sit at the kitchen table.

Her food was almost completely untouched.

Kallen pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle the sob that threatened to slip out, she approached the table, silently placing her keys on the table and shrugging her bag to the floor. "Mum, I'm sorry" she murmured, her mother continued looking down at the dry muesli. Kallen sniffed and fiercely blinked the tears away, "Mum, its Kallen, I didn't mean to be out so long I swear, I'm sorry." She lifted the fallen glass, placing it properly upright on the table. Her mother continued to look down at the muesli, her eyes glassy and unfocused. Kallen kneeled next to her chair, one knee becoming drenched in the puddle of juice, she rubbed her mothers arm as her voice wavered, "Mum, please I'm sorry." A tear fell down her cheek, her breaths quickened in pace.

Kallen laid her head against her mother's cardigan-covered shoulder and could not contain the sudden trembling or the murmured sobs against her mother's shoulder, a chorus of apologies muffled by the thick blue wool.

From the corner of her eye Kallen saw her mother blink, through a vision blurred by tears Kallen spied her mother raise her eyes and then her head from its bowed position. Her mother made a questioning noise and turned her head towards her, Kallen blinked and tears began to flow slowly but freely down her face. Her mother, beautiful and clinically mental, took in the figure hunched against her, a light filling her eyes in joy for her (undeserving) daughter. And a bright, white smile burst forth from her mother's previously dormant and thin lips.

"Sweetie. There you are."

* * *

**So**, in conclusion: Some funny stuff, some background-building stuff and some dramatic sad stuff.

Don't worry, we'll get to the lesbian lovin' in Chapter 4...anyways, thanks very much to my 12th Reviewer SharinganUserX whose even-numbered review prompted me to finish this and post it.

Not because I was looking for a certain number of reviews to continue...I just really like even-numbers.

And now a test! The part where CC helps dispose Kallen's eyes of sleep dust is based very closely (like 'dialogue close') on a scene from one of my favourite Books/Films. IF you know the name of the book, then we shall rejoice in our shared love of obscure and scandalous literature. IF you know the title of its Film Adaptation then we shall rejoice instead in our shared love of obscure Italian-French-English cinéma and discuss in wonder of the size of Eva Green's nipples. Because they are HUGE.

What a note to leave off on eh? Obscure literature and the circumference of Eva Green's nipples...


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **If I came under ownership of _Code Geass_ there would be lesbians _everywhere_. And not just in the fanservicey way either. And you would all _worship_ me for it.

**Soliloquy: **Oh god I KNOW. And I'm SORRY. I didn't mean to be so late to update but I'm currently in that whole exam period thingy, not to mention I turned 18 last month and that damn social life of mine finally caught up to me. I told my friends time and time again that, NO, I would rather sit inside and write fanfiction than go to a pub and drink (Cos' I'm totally allowed to do that now) but it got to the point where they _dragged_ me.

**This is: **I'm not completely sure what the name of Kallens mother is but after searching for a while I'm pretty sure its Karen. I think. Correct me if I'm wrong. Anyways, heres your would-be lesbian antics.

* * *

**I guess we could date**

**Chapter 4**

* * *

A working and mutually satisfying relationship comes about, because of Compromise. Attempting and succeeding to meet in 'the middle' is the only way to find a balance of respect, trust and pleasure (physical or otherwise) and establish a solid foundation from which to enjoy general togetherness and exchanging of Hallmark occasion cards with your Partner/s.

In relation, other interpretations of the context of a successful relationship are, frankly, incorrect; a relationship does not require a dominant male or androgynous female to lead along the weaker spouse, and neither does a successful relationship consist of the cliché Shoujo-Beat comic strip 'Opposites Attract' angle. Because, in actuality, compatibility makes for a more stable and positive relationship. Because from compatibility comes a greater natural understanding of ones Partner. And with greater understanding, it becomes wholly easier to compromise on any relationships internal or external problems and threats.

Which rolls on back to the key ingredient in a successful relationship, _compromise_.

Let's apply this to a real-life example.

In their prevalent relationship, Suzaku and Lelouch have just recently arrived at a compromise over extending the limits to which Lelouch's personal boundaries may be breached.

Personal boundaries that have been agreed to be lifted significantly, in return for Suzaku promising to never again show up at Lelouch's workplace unannounced and uncalled for. The reason as to why this compromise was needed, had occurred earlier in the week, when Suzaku, struck by the bug that is 'Spontaneity', decided to surprise Lelouch at the office and celebrate his boyfriends 130th column with a lemon cake, the scent of which accidentally caused Lelouchs cubicle-neighbour to break into hives due to his lemon peel allergies, and the mini confetti cannon Lelouchs Editor, Milly, had whipped out from literally _nowhere_ in response to Suzaku's 'Surprise'had temporarily blinded the Indonesian cleaning lady when the shards of tiny rainbow-paper erupted at an astounding velocity and range unexpected of the store-brought party item.

Thus, the reason why Suzaku is now forbidden from showing his face around Ashford Weekly without warning Lelouch first, lest Suzaku once again become the toppling domino in a line of grief and court cases.

In return for agreeing to this restriction, Suzaku was now permitted to not only 'make love' to Lelouch _over _the sheets on occasion, but also be allowed to actually sleep in Lelouch's bed until 8:20am exactly if he happened to be staying over that night.

Which was a pretty big deal, Lelouch had never had any problem with sleeping at Suzaku's apartment but in his own abode, although the coitus itself might just take place in Lelouch's bed, Suzaku would be fiercely shooed away as soon as the activity and the inevitable three minutes of afterglow-cuddling had passed. Which would be considered overly-Queer behaviour, for a normal person that is, but for some reason Suzaku found such anal-retentive quirkiness on Lelouch endearing.

The reason was either 'Blinded Love', or the aforementioned sex was just really, really good.

In summary, Suzaku and Lelouch had managed to reach a balance, expressing a mutual respect and trust in their relationship and an ability to cooperate, executing a successful compromise.

A compromise that Suzaku was cheerfully reaping the benefits of. He hummed softly and twiddled his thumbs atop his chest as he gazed to his right at Lelouch, who was curled up on his side and seemingly oblivious to the adoring smile Suzaku was blazing at his back.

"Stop fucking staring, you creep."

Then again…

Suzaku gave a light grunt of apology, but instead of abiding to Lelouchs request (order), continued to stare openly as the smile elevated into a grin, birthed by a fusion of love and self-satisfaction. He sat up against the headboard, rolling his head back against the black upholstery, his face suddenly captured by confusion as his back nudged a peculiar lump. He reached back to search down the front of the headboard, eventually pulling out a clear-plastic sandwich bag; he examined the half-empty contents.

"Cookie dough?"

Lelouch turned his cheek somewhat towards him, "That's CC's side when she invades, she hoards food there". With that he turned back and burrowed into his pillow with a low sigh. Suzaku looked down at the bag inquisitively "Like a squirrel?" Lelouch moved his head a tad, perhaps in a nod to signify affirmation. Suzaku put the bag on the bedside and edged over to Lelouchs side of the bed, wrapping a muscled arm around his waist.

Lelouch gave a sleepy warning grunt.

Suzaku chuckled and nuzzled into the crevice between Lelouchs neck and shoulder. Lelouchs shoulder sprung up in a bony defence, "Don't do that, you need to shave for christ's sake…" his voice tapered off into a moan as Suzaku placed soft, soothing kisses along the long length of his neck, not really in an attempt to apologize but rather an attempt to lower Lelouchs defences and leave him vulnerable for attack…

Suzaku pressed himself firmly against Lelouchs back. Lelouch stiffened at the obvious indication of Suzakus intentions and let loose a louder grunt, spiced this time with less warning and instead more threatening of Lelouch's wrath.

"We're not having morning sex so you can just forget it."

Suzaku whispered a "Damn" into the back of his neck, before drawing himself up on his elbows and leaning over Lelouchs curled form. "Why not?" the brunette asked, "its 8:09, we've got time…" Lelouch scoffed into his pillow, "Certainly we have time, but I haven't the stamina nor the overwhelming urge to fake it. So the bathrooms over there if you desperately need a completion of some sort" he waved a hand lazily towards his bedroom door before it disappeared back under the covers.

Suzaku frowned; however, he reminded himself that besides a healthy sex life a relationship also needed one key thing. Compromise. He smiled and laid his chin on Lelouchs shoulder. Silence passed, Lelouch turned his left eye back towards Suzaku, taking in his 'loving boyfriend' smile and his (ridiculously endearing) messy bed-head curls and handsome morning face. Lelouch mustered every ounce of his feeble amounts of pre-coffee energy and glared heavily.

"No."

"How about yes?"

"Piss off you over-demanding prick."

"Listen to my proposition…if you let me do this, I promise I'll not only keep it within my time limit but I'll also make YOU climax."

"…"

"I'll also let you prioritize my files at work?"

Hook, line and sinker for sure, Lelouch _loved _organization, especially organizing aspects of _other peoples_ _lives_ if only so the person themselves would remark with awe and gratitude over how much 'they loved the colour-coding of their medical history files' (green for prescription and red for possible cancer symptoms) and thus give Lelouchs ever gluttonous ego a stroke.

Silence passed. With a great (melodramatic) sigh Lelouch rolled onto his back and looked up at Suzaku, his brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed. "Fine, do what you will, but don't expect me to do anything besides lie here and take it."

And with that, he presented himself submissively, palms up and legs apart with a dismissive and bored expression on his elegant face. Suzaku raised himself above Lelouch and gave a smaller, more mischievous smile.

"Well that's not too different from what you usually do anyway" and he swooped down to capture Lelouchs lips, smothering his indignant protest.

Lelouch was saved when the door to his bedroom was suddenly kicked open and in entered this scenes Presenter of Conflict, or in this case Suzaku's cockblock, CC who had seemingly just woken from her slumber (surprisingly early for her) and whose face held an expressive portrait of woe, depression and annoyance.

There were several reasons why CC's usually blank face would adopt such an expression, for_ One_, she might be angry and sore at her biological clock deciding that _this _is when she should wake up and not several hours later as per usual, _Deux_, she could be angry at Suzaku for taking up 'her space' In Lelouch's bed and forcing her to actually sleep in her own bed for once, which was strange and new. Or, _Drei_, CC was full of woe, depression and annoyance because of reasons and events she'd rather keep to herself or only share with her deemed 'confidante' Lelouch.

Which was why, instead of apologizing to Lelouch for damaging his door or to Suzaku for ruining his chance at getting laid, CC instead padded over to the foot of the bed, crawled atop it, made her way to the head of the bed and butted her way between the two bedfellows, lying between them and staring up at the ceiling.

After a while, she spoke. "I'm in a bad mood."

She looked to her left at a frowning Suzaku, then peering over his shoulder at the bedside table, before looking back at him and commanding "Cookie dough." And, because he saw no other real choice, Suzaku wordlessly handed the sandwich bag to her before conceding to sulk at the far right of the bed. Suzaku liked CC he really did but 'sometimes', he thought as CC shifted into Lelouch's side, 'she could be a real Bitch'. Lelouch noticed Suzaku's grimace and sighed, "CC, what's wrong?", Suzaku interjected from his corner, "and can't it wait till later?"

CC blinked at the both of them and, after nibbling on a chunk of cookie dough, answered, "It's something I need to talk out, and I need to talk to Lelouch now, and no, I can't come back later because, while I'm totally down with you two bumping uglies and shit, I'd rather talk to Lelouch when he's _not _smelling like a Turkish bathhouse" tossing an endless lock of green hair over her shoulder.

Suzaku sighed heavily and relented, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing to stretch, he spied Lelouch's victorious smirk and frowned. Lelouch's eyes flashed and he motioned gracefully at the doorway, "Off to the bathroom are we Suzaku?" and his smirk widened to show teeth. Suzaku rolled his shoulders and _hmmphed_ dismissively; "Whatever, I do enjoy my files being all messy and piled atop one another" Lelouch's face dropped "the only form of organization being a sparse Alphabetical System…" and he grinned at Lelouch's scowl, fleeing from the bedroom and the pillow that was thrown at him in rage.

Lelouch huffed and made to settle back into his remaining pillow, a notion disrupted suddenly by CC, who wrapped thin arms around his form and laid her chin on his chest. Lelouch's entire body stiffened and, after a while, he firmly stated "No...CC, no, I don't like this" and attempted to pry her off. Unfortunately for Lelouch CC was like a barnacle on a rock at the beach, she didn't just simply hold, she LATCHED. CC sniffed dismissively at Lelouch's attempts to break free, "Well this is how it's supposed to go isn't it? I have a problem, I'm sad and so I come here seeking comfort in your bosom…"

"For the last time CC I don't have a bosom" "Yeah you do, its just all flat." And to emphasize, she poked aforementioned 'bosom'.

Before Lelouch could interject with a remark in defence of his manly physique and related assured manliness in general, CC continued onward with her ideal comforting session that she had seen on several western sitcoms. "As I said before, I'm in a bad mood, and I can't figure out why exactly I am in a bad mood which confuses me because usually I know why I'm in a bad mood when I'm in a bad mood and so on and so forth".

This was true; CC had always had a knack for understanding her emotions and, when faced with an uncommon burst of emotion, was generally able to stand back and figure out what was causing such expression and thus solve (eliminate) whatever (or whoever) was causing the problem. But, with this particular bad mood, CC had done a lot of standing back and was no closer to solving the puzzle. Confused with this, CC had gone so far as to consult the internet but found nothing but pop-ups advertising 'cures for depression' ranging from guides on meditation to the latest brand of happy pills available on the market, black or otherwise.

And it certainly wasn't her time of the month, so biologically the cause couldn't be found either. And so, having woken up this morning with the sinking feeling still existing, CC had decided to seek the advice of aforementioned (but protested) 'bosom buddy' Lelouch. She peered up at him, her gaze wholly expectant that he would offer a solution to her problem just so that CC herself could stop looking.

It was beginning to become hard work, all this emotional crap.

And if there was one thing CC hated more than liars, cheaters and striped shirts it was hard work.

Lelouch glared back down at her, feebly clawing at her shoulders, "I'm really not interested in dealing with your strange little life WOMAN, so get off and go find someone else to bother! Hell! I'll even let you bother Suzaku for once; you enjoy doing that don't you?" CC made a hum of agreement, but, continued to latch, digging a pointy chin into his sternum, causing Lelouch to squeal (in a totally masculine way) in pain.

Lelouch frowned, "Okay, that's it, get off!" with a surprising display of strength Lelouch managed to wrench CC away from him, "and get out." CC shook her head, Lelouch pointed dramatically at the still open bedroom door "LEAVE." CC frowned, "But what use is being a Fag-Hag if I can't confide in my Fag?"

Lelouch threw his remaining pillow at her and, in a move deemed rather out of character, CC visibly _huffed _and whacked Lelouch with the same pillow. A combination of CC's astounding strength, which given her petite form was an easily forgotten aspect of her person, and Lelouch's body weight being particularly 'weedy' in the morning meant that, under the force of the pillow, Lelouch was catapulted off the bed and to the floor.

After a few seconds of silence Lelouch's consciousness was affirmed by pained groans, CC hugged the pillow to her and gingerly shifted over to the edge of the bed, peering over the side and observing the fallen Lelouch who glared heavily up at her. "YOU." He pointed at her, CC waved the fingers of her right hand, "you are so ridiculous sometimes, you want to know why your in a 'bad mood'?" he attempted to sit up, "it's because of a combination of guilt, anger and frustration at that shoeless maniac you picked up last week!" he was eventually able to drag himself up by clinging onto the bed sheets.

"And I am sick to the back teeth-!" Lelouch pulled himself up onto his bed and continued to spit and glare at CC over his shoulder, "of your 'bad mood', so just go find your stray and stop taking out your convoluted mess of emotions out on me! Or my possessions!" he grabbed his pillow back from her, "Because I refuse to be your bloody scratching post!" and to provide a dramatic end to a dramatic speech Lelouch kicked CC off the mattress.

He once again flung a hand at his door, "now BE GONE."

After a few seconds CC gathered herself from the floor and backed out from the room silently, refusing to back down from the haughty glare he glowered at her by supplying a blank but wary stare in return. She made it to the doorway, groping behind her for the door knob, before a flash of remembrance flittered across her gaze, and instead she padded back towards the bed.

"Nearly forgot my cookie dough."

She made a grab for the sandwich bag and received a tremendous whack of pillow in the face as Lelouch screeched "Get the FUCK OUT!" prompting CC to flee from the room in a way that, in a comical sense, could be described as 'scampered'. As CC leapt across the doorway she heard Lelouch shout once more, except this time it wasn't directed at her. "SUZAKU! In here NOW!" and Suzaku, who appeared from nowhere as if he had been lying in wait, strode quite happily towards the open doorway, shooting a…grateful look at CC?

CC was confused until she heard Suzaku mumble, seemingly to himself, "Hell yes, angry sex is the BEST." before practically bounding inside the room, slamming the door behind him.

CC, after a moment's deliberation, edged silently away from the door, still confused but also strangely enlightened at the same time…and a little bit aroused. But that was another matter entirely.

Probably.

* * *

The general schedule for Kallen's day went as thus; at 6am she would wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast and go for a 30-40 minute jog in the 2 mile radius surrounding her apartment (never any further, and always with her bus pass in case she had to return home quickly) then she would return home, take a quick shower and wake her mother. Then she would wash, dress and feed her mother before proceeding with the days events. If her mother, Karen, had a hospital appointment they would take a train to Keio University Hospital, see whichever doctor was available, and then maybe go for lunch before returning home. If Kallen had a job interview or was visiting a client to go over their books, she would generally take Karen to the Shinjuku historical museum and let her wander around or, for lack of time; she would leave Karen in the apartment with the TV and some of her old books.

There were days, however, when neither of the women had to go anywhere, when Karen didn't have a hospital appointment and Kallen didn't have to visit a client (fortunately) or have a job interview to get to (unfortunately). On those days, of which there were many, the time was passed indoors, although sometimes Kallen might be able to coax her mother outside but these instances were far and few between and usually the morning would be spent having breakfast and watching TV, the afternoon spent having lunch and going over Karen's old books from High School, and the evening spent having dinner, after which Kallen would then do a few pages of accounting whilst her mother gravitated back towards the TV or towards several photo albums carefully arranged in the bookcase in her room.

This evening however, Karen seemed less willing to stick to her schedule; she was seated in, what Kallen might call, the 'living room' rigidly on the sofa, with the TV off, watching Kallen talk on the phone whilst scribbling calculations in a notebook. Glancing up from one clients ridiculous dry cleaning bills to her mother's blank stare Kallen smiled easily, the move practised, and her mother smiled back before dropping her gaze to her lap. A painful clench spiked in Kallen's chest and she sighed shakily as she returned her attention to the phone conversation, her brow instantly furrowed.

"So you're trying to tell me, there is literally _nothing _available?" she practically spat into the receiver, Kallen heard Ohgi sigh on the other end, "_Kallen, we both knew that getting you a Sub-place at this school was a long shot at the_ _least, so please_-" a deep breath in preparation "-_don't take that tone of voice with me_?" despite the fact that the general concept of the words given was _command_ Ohgi knew that, with Kallen, it was actually best if the concept was a _question _instead.

Kallen's frown became a dictionary definition for the word 'Fury', from the sofa her mother glanced up shyly before picking at a patch of dry skin on her left hand.

Kallen breathed in through her nose, attempting to calm herself, before answering to Ohgi's question in a somewhat unproductive way; with another question.

"Is there _no one _with hay fever in the staff? Hasn't anyone been diagnosed with…I don't know, _Spring Madness _or any other illness?"

"_Kallen I don't know what to tell you, its February, it's nearly the end of the school year and if I have seen anyone ill they've got a mask over their mouth and they refuse to collapse in exhaustion_-"

There was a heavy sigh.

"_I'm sorry Kallen, I looked but Yamabuki doesn't have any need for substitutes right now, maybe in April when the school year starts I can-_"

"Give me your job."

"…_What_?"

"You get chronic nosebleeds right? Stand in the sun and get a few weeks off, no big deal."

"…Kallen, I can't do that."

"Why not? You teach English, I'm half-English ergo I could teach it better than you. I'm perfectly qualified…"

"_No Kallen I can't let you do that, my homeroom class is graduating this March I can't be absent._"

"I thought you were my friend."

"_I_ _am, but just not enough that I'd be willing to lose a pint of blood just so you could take my job for a few weeks, not to mention these last few weeks I have with my graduating students_ _are precious_!"

"Don't be such a girl, give me your job."

"_No_!"

"Just for a week or two, I need it more than you do!"

"_I refuse_."

"Ohgi, I swear to god that if you don't bleed from your nose soon and I will personally see to it that you bleed everywhere else instead!"

"_Honey_!_ Help_!"

There was a frisson of noise on the other end of the line, whispering and then a heavy feminine sigh, Kallen frowned as the conversation picked back up.

"_Oi. Stop shouting at my husband and telling him what to do, that's a privilege strictly reserved for the wife_."

"Figures he'd run off to get his guard-dog…"

"_Yes, yes, oh what a bitch I am. Heard it before toots, now talk._"

Kallen shuffled the phone to her shoulder, tilting her head to hold the device in place as she peered half-heartedly down at the calculations on the notepad, evidently Mr. Watanabe's savings would eventually not be able to support his Wife's excessive lingerie cleaning bills.

Kallen had met Watanabe's wife, a civil servant who was half his age with fresh, clean skin and a full head of shiny hair, in contrast to her husband who was wrinkly and near bald (dimly Kallen wondered whether Mrs. Watanabe was having an affair).

She heard Villeta _tsk _in impatience in her ear and sighed, "Talk about what?" "_Well obviously talk about the_ _reason why you threatened to physically harm my husband who is now standing cautiously_ _in the doorway attempting to salvage his bravery_-_hang on_" there was a bit more muffled talking and then "_Just go watch Elmo with Chihaku, put the TV on mute she likes it when you do the voices…_" Kallen tapped her pencil on the page as she heard, what she could only assume, Villeta making herself comfortable in a chair.

"_Alright, he's out of earshot and emasculated completely, surely that makes you happy enough to talk_?"

"Why would I want to talk to you anyway?"

"_Because I'm the only person you know who refuses to take shit from you, and you respect that_."

Kallen started drawing circles in the margin, "I've just been feeling a bit overstressed lately, it's really nothing…" "_Is this because of the job thing_?" she scratched an angry expression inside one of the circles, "Yeah, I suppose". "_You suppose_?" "I dunno, the job, or lack therefore of, is always a _thing _but lately there's been other…things."

Villeta made a hum of interest, "_Other things_?_ Like what_?" Kallen scribbled across the angry face and leaned back in her chair, feeling the stretch of her back muscles, "Just, things y'know." She heard Villeta snort softly in amusement, "_Do you mean things like your lack of_ _a social life_?" Kallen sighed heavily, before she could retort Villeta continued her tone now animated and, dare she say, _excited_.

"_Because with that thing I can help, I met this really nice guy at my Pilates class and I told him about my _'_depressed single friend_' _that's you by the way, and he seemed pretty interested so_…?" Kallen sniffed dismissively "You can tell him your depressed single friend is content being depressed and single", "_My depressed and single friend is obviously lying. Come on Kallen, he's cute and smart, he's a Government man_ _too_!"

Kallen gave an amused smirk that quickly turned into a bright smile when she spied her mother glancing over, "A Government man Villeta?" she could hear Villeta made an annoyed _hmph _but could hear the identical smirk in her voice, "_Yeah, he works with Immigration_." The doorbell run in the background, "Yeah, I'm going to be hanging up now." Before she did she heard Villeta crow out "_He's surprisingly flexible if that helps any!_" over the speaker, causing Kallen's mother to quietly giggle into her hand. Kallen stood up, the doorbell rung again before descending into a symphony of continuous ringing. "I'm coming!" Kallen yelled and the symphony halted, as Kallen walked out of the living room she saw Karen smooth out her skirt in preparation for visitors.

Kallen eventually approached the door and opened it, and found a very blank-faced green-haired woman who directed a cool gaze towards Kallen and blinked. Slowly.

Kallen was actually sincerely surprised. "Oh…CC?"

CC tilted her side to the side a tad, "Yes. That is I."

For a while there was a distinctly uncomfortable silence as Kallen struggled to find something to say, and then, "Oh, you're here for your shoes right?" CC's lips twitched, "Um, yeah I guess" and she leaned to the left conspicuously attempting to look past Kallen's shoulder into her apartment. But, because CC was, frankly, a very short woman and Kallen's shoulders were surprisingly broad for a female, no such achievement was made.

Kallen's slipper-covered feet toed the threshold of her front door, "Well then, come in and I'll get them for you." And she tentatively raised an arm behind her in invitation. CC accepted and stepped beyond the threshold onto the doormat; Kallen closed the door and, with her back turned to CC, nervously bit her bottom lip.

"Do I need to take off my shoes?"

"Hmm?"

Kallen turned back towards CC who pointed first at the neat row of shoes beneath the coat hooks, and then down at Kallen's own slipper adorned feet. Kallen ran a hand threw her hair, "Oh. No, its fine, it's a Western-style apartment so-but if _you_ feel more comfortable doing so then you can."

And to her dismay, CC did, delicately, and then pushing her expensive-looking green canvases to join the other shoes with her tiny pale feet. Generally, Kallen found, people who took off their shoes in other peoples homes and _weren't _Japanese (and Kallen was certain CC wasn't) indicated that the person sought to stay for at least an hour. And to be honest Kallen just didn't feel like dealing with CC right now and certainly not for an hour or more. But, Kallen mused as she led CC into the kitchen area; Kallen felt it was only polite to maybe take the time to properly apologize to CC for what had happened. Which might take only 20 minutes at the most so…?

"You can just wait here; I'll be right back with your shoes." Kallen walked the short distance to her room (her apartment really was tiny, she could hear CC tapping her feet back in the kitchen) and sidled her way in, fighting her way through all the crap on the floor (in contrast to the rest of the apartment Kallen's room was ridiculously messy, she just couldn't see the point in cleaning it) and hurriedly searched for CC's converses.

After returning home last week to find her mother sitting alone at the kitchen table Kallen had thrown the borrowed shoes _somewhere _in a hurry to give her mother a proper meal and a bath. All the while apologizing again and _again_…

She finally found the shoes under her bed, she turned them over to check they were still in a relatively clean condition, in the rubber of the sole of the left shoe she found a scratched doodle of…a bird, or a mammal of some kind…or maybe it was words, Kallen didn't know. And for a while Kallen sat on her bed with the right shoe on the bedspread, and the left one held close up to her face, attempting to decipher the doodle. Her mind drifted back to CC herself and, specifically, CC's current presence in her apartment.

It was probably just best to give CC her shoes, usher her back to the front door and then maybe give a heartfelt apology before closing the door literally and closing the door metaphorically on CC. Kallen's brow furrowed, recalling her childhood and her tutors attempts at teaching her proper manners (which were lost on Kallen, because getting in a mud fight with Naoto looked so much more fun) but as far as Kallen could remember, the polite thing to do would be to offer CC tea and introduce her to the apartments other occupants. But Kallen wasn't sure whether she wanted to introduce CC to her mother, as technically CC was the reason why Karen had been abandoned for an entire day (although, Kallen dimly acknowledged, Kallen getting drunk beforehand had something to do with it too).

On the other hand, CC was also the woman who apparently saved Kallen's life.

From drowning.

In two inches of water.

Kallen glanced at the alarm clock on her bedside table, seeing that almost _seven _minutes had passed Kallen gathered the converses in her arms and rushed out towards the kitchen. "Sorry I took so long-" but CC wasn't there.

Had she left?

No.

Because Kallen could hear that damn woman's lazy drawl in the living room.

Whilst Kallen had considering being polite and introducing CC to her mother, CC apparently didn't give a single fuck about being polite and waiting for someone to introduce her.

Kallen strode into the living room, fully prepared to be righteously angry at CC, but was too perplexed by what she saw to act on it. Seated on the floor in the middle of the living room (with the table and chairs pushed back to the far wall) was her mother and a placid-faced CC, setting out a board game that usually gathered dust in the cupboard in the corner.

Karen held all the board pieces in one hand, excitedly combing through them with a smile on her lips. CC mumbled something to her before glancing up and noticing Kallen's presence, "Hey" she leaned back on her hands and waved slightly, "you wanna play?" and her hand moved to indicate the board game.

Kallen blinked.

CC blinked in unison. Then she leaned forward towards Karen and poked around at the board pieces in her hands, she lifted one out and held it up.

"You can be the car if you want."

* * *

Two hours later found Kallen with all of the energy outlets, three of the four railways, 15 wards and around 700,000 Y, her mother had the remaining railway, seven wards and close to 200,000 Y whilst CC was in Jail, near broke and only had two apartments in Nakano.

"I never do well in monopoly, eventually I go broke and I'm forced to rob the bank." CC lamented as she stared down at the board with what could be assumed to be anger (her face didn't really change so…). Kallen, who was the Banker, shifted uneasily on her knees, "How do you rob the bank in monopoly?" CC shrugged.

"Pillowcase over the head?"

Karen gave a sleepy laugh and yawned, she slowly got to her feet and bowed politely at CC with a smile, "I apologize, but I think its time for me to retire for the night" Kallen glanced at her watch, it had just turned a quarter to 11, she stood up too and made for the doorway, behind her she heard her mother softly say "It was very nice to meet you CC" before she joined Kallen at the doorway, slipping out of the room and heading for her bedroom.

Kallen looked at CC and shifted from one foot to the other, "I'll be right back so if you could…" she motioned towards the monopoly board still set out on the floor and before she turned away Kallen saw CC move to gather it up.

Getting her mother ready for bed was as troublesome as any other night, which is to say, it wasn't troublesome and was never troublesome at all. In fact, tonight, Karen seemed more relaxed and it was clear that her mother was really very tired. Kallen supposed she owed this to the monopoly game earlier where CC, despite seeming typically vacuous, made an animated atmosphere and talked both calmly and eagerly to both Kallen and her mother, but mostly her mother.

Closing Karen's door softly behind her Kallen made her way to the kitchen to find a plastic bag to put CC's shoes in, the flimsy plastic material in her hands, Kallen hung around the doorway to the living room. Peering into the room she saw that the monopoly board was now gone and that CC was currently dragging chairs back to their original places. Kallen stepped into the room and watched as CC, probably through a lack of effort, struggled to pull the table back towards its original spot.

Eventually Kallen saw fit to intervene and approached the table, butting CC aside and easily pulling the table forward, the feet fitting into the grooves made in the carpet. CC whistled, probably in a sarcastic way, "I see this ones got strength." Kallen felt her cheeks burn and cleared her throat, "Well, I jog…" she stood up straight and turned her head towards CC who looked at her with a clear gaze. In that blank, amber stare Kallen registered a question, "What?" she asked and CC lifted a hand to fold thick strands of lime hair behind her ear.

"Do you wanna get a drink?"

* * *

Kallen didn't know why she was here. Why was she at Café Haiti at 11pm and not at home, finishing her page quota or sleeping? Why was she with this woman? This woman who had shown up at her apartment hours before without warning and had instigated a competitive game of monopoly with her mother before inviting _nay _practically _commanding _Kallen to go for a drink with her. Well okay, not commanding, the invitation had clearly been a question and Kallen had quite willingly agreed. But this still felt a little bit forced…somehow.

Kallen looked up from her lap.

CC wasn't even drinking it seemed.

In fact, rather than drinking, she seemed quite intent on eating and was currently discussing the menu with the waitress. CC held the laminated menu up to the waitresses face and pointed around the page. "Can I have" point "a plate of this, half a plate of this" she pointed somewhere else "and a quarter of that?" she then looked up at the waitress, eyes wide and glimmering with what Kallen supposed was excitement.

The waitress looked down at CC and, after a while, replied, "No."

CC frowned, quite deeply, and leaned back in her seat, narrowing her eyes up at the waitress, "In that case I'd like to speak to the Manager."The waitress tapped her pen against the notepad in her hand, "The Managers not in tonight, your idea of a meal is too needlessly complicated for this time of night" she waved a hand around her, it was nearly closing time and there were few people eating and probably even fewer people currently on staff. CC breathed out deeply through her nostrils and the waitress turned towards Kallen. "Uh, just a beer please, thanks." And the waitress shone a look of gratitude at her before glancing back at CC, "And you Miss?"

CC raised her head slowly towards the woman and sniffed loudly, "Vodka and Coke then," the waitress noted down the drinks and walked away, at her back CC visibly sneered and Kallen stifled a laugh with her hand. Afterwards there was silence as CC examined her nails and Kallen checked the time on her mobile again, if something went wrong it would take her less than a minute to run home, so she really shouldn't worry…

"Your mom's really pretty."

Kallen came back to earth, "Hm?" she blinked at CC who leant her elbows on the tabletop, threading her hands together and placing her chin atop them. "Your mom is pretty, she's nice too, I can see why you were so angry last week." CC drawled as she stared openly at Kallen, her catlike gaze sparkling. Kallen's brow furrowed and she could only assume she looked apologetic, "About last week, I'm sorry-" CC put her hand up to silence her as the waitress returned with their drinks, she dauntingly sipped once, twice at her Vodka and Coke before turning back to Kallen. She nodded once, indicating that Kallen continue, "Um, I shouldn't have slapped you or shouted at you, I mean, you didn't know my mother at all so it wasn't exactly _justified_. I'm sorry."

CC blinked at her and sighed softly, "You're not completely to blame, I should know better than to make sensitive comments about parents and other family members whether I know them or not…" she sipped at her drink again, "so I'm sorry too."

And then, in a moment of unison, they nodded at each other in a mutually satisfying way. And Kallen suddenly felt a lot more relaxed, she lifted the cold glass of beer to her lips and took a gulp, "Careful with that" she heard CC say in a somewhat amused tone, Kallen looked over the rim of her glass at CC who lifted the corners of her lips in concealed mirth. "We don't want you falling into any more fountains do we?"

Kallen raised an eyebrow at her. CC's own eyebrows furrowed slightly, "Sorry, are we not allowed to joke about that yet?" Kallen looked at her before a smile forced its way onto her lips and a small chuckle escaped, "I suppose it is pretty funny" and she sipped at her beer again, relishing the taste before a question occurred to her, "Do you know what happened to my shoes that time? I was wearing heels but when I woke up at-" she motioned at CC "-your place they were gone." At this question CC actually laughed, a soft tinkling sound, "Kallen, you threw those shoes into the fountain in a drunken rage."

Kallen spluttered into her glass, "What?" "I'm not lying; those shoes must have done something awful to you…" Kallen mused about this before grinning widely "Yeah, I did hate those heels, screw 'em!" and she celebrated her proclamation with a deep gulp of marvellous, marvellous beer. She heard CC give a small sarcastic cheer and felt the intrigue of her stare, and then there was the question.

"What happened to your mom?"

Kallen swallowed. And then she cleared her throat, looking anywhere except at the woman sitting across from her. CC followed up her question, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I understand if it's private…" The dull _thud _the glass made as it was placed on the table was audible, highly so, Kallen sniffed and suddenly felt the urge to wipe her nose. After several long seconds of Kallen looking down into her glass she spoke, "There's nothing physically wrong with her, its just, some stuff happened a few years ago and my mother sort of…" she glanced up at CC "got depressed, like really, _really _depressed." CC looked at her unabashedly and leaned towards her before, "Is your mom married? I saw earlier that she wears a wedding ring so…"

Kallen sat back in her chair, leaning as far away from CC as was possible with the seats, however her eyes were still latched onto hers, it was hard to look away. And for some reason, it was even harder not to answer.

"She was married, yes."

"…To your father?"

"Yeah."

"Well what happened to him?"

"He divorced her. And now he lives somewhere in Europe with his new wife."

At this CC actually looked somewhat taken aback. A Beat. "Sorry." She said and after a while Kallen replied, "Why are you apologizing? It's not like you're the wife…" and Kallen sipped at her beer again, this time slowly and without any real enthusiasm. CC blinked slowly again and the low lighting of the Café bounced across her eyelashes. "How is your mother?" CC asked her tone slow and calming, lulling Kallen into a sense of comfort, or that could just be the beer, she didn't really know.

"She's fine, at the moment. I think."

"And how are you?"

Kallen hummed at the question, this was safer territory, "I'm healthy. So I'm fine too." CC tilted her head and rose her glass to her lips; the glass amplified her question, "Really fine?" and the tiny smirk CC sent over the rim of the glass before she took a sip suddenly made Kallen feel like sharing. "Well I'm unemployed and that kinda sucks, I mean, I'm a freelance Accountant but my clientele aren't the most reliable in paying me on time so…" she shrugged here as if to say 'What you gonna do?' and CC placed her glass on the table, her glass was still quite full in comparison to Kallen's own which was nearly drained of its contents. God, beer was nice…

"Are you fine socially?"

"Hm?" this time into her glass, Kallen glanced at CC again who, for the first time since the conversation had started, was not staring at Kallen but instead down at her glass as she traced a thin finger around its rim. "Y'know," she directed this to the tabletop seemingly "friends, romantic partners and shit." Kallen chuckled half-heartedly, "Well I _have _friends, but at the moment I'm single and pretending to said friends that I'm actually happier that way!" Kallen summarised that she was a bit tipsy, perhaps more than a bit. She had never been to Café Haiti before (despite living so close) so maybe the beer was stronger here than the stuff you brought at the store?

"Y'know, I have a question for you Miss. _always asks questions_…" that last word was slurred, she was certain of it, "why are you so interested in knowing about me, ME, the bitch who slapped you across your face?" Ooh, here came the verbal self-abuse that always seemed to happen when Kallen was drunk.

CC looked up here, crossing her arms, she sighed "I don't really know why I'm so interested, to be honest" she regarded Kallen with a faintly confused stare, "I mean your so" she suddenly rose her hands to each side of her head and made circularly motions, "ANGRY." CC crossed her arms again, "And that's usually totally unappealing to me."

Kallen had the common sense to look affronted, "M'not angry, M' just stressed." and she leaned forward, one elbow on the table, to point at CC to emphasize how affronted she was. CC peered at her and leaned her crossed arms on the table too, "Even though I technically only talked to you for like, 15 minutes, and a part of that was spent with you yelling at me, its weird how…" she frowned "I'm not saying that I've been thinking of you for the past week non-stop because I haven't, there were many times when I thought of something else in fact." She paused, and Kallen dimly noticed how close their faces were.

"I've thought about you a lot. Like, A LOT."

And then suddenly, but not so suddenly because it was actually quite slow and tentative, CC was leaning in, her eyelids dropping, and Kallen could only make out the dark-green of her eyelashes as a thin pair of lips met her own.

CC's lips were soft, like, _ridiculously _soft.

And they tasted fruity.

This was what girls lips tasted like.

Like strawberries, or watermelon, or kiwi.

LIKE FRUIT.

These were girls lips kissing hers.

WHAT THE FUCK.

And CC drew back and slowly blinked at her, a faint haze of realization came over her face, "Oh, OH. Well now it makes sense…" and then Kallen could feel her eyes widen and her eyelids stretch painfully.

In the next second, Kallen slapped her.

In the following second CC gasped in pain.

In the second after that CC swore into her hand as she nursed the red that slowly formed on her pale cheek.

In the three seconds after that, Kallen looked between her still raised hand and CC in shock.

In the next five seconds Kallen had tightened her coat around her, shot out of her chair and bolted for the door.

In the second following, CC hurriedly followed her.

And, in the entirety of those 12-second events, the few other eaters and the waitress from before wondered just what the hell had happened and whether any figures of public authority should be called.

It was either because of the alcoholic daze that inhibited Kallen's physical efficiency or because CC could run really fast despite having tiny feet, but eventually Kallen felt a hand pull at her arm and she was dragged to a halt. She whipped around to look at CC, who was still using the spare hand to palm the offended cheek. "Jesus, you really have a thing for slapping people!" Kallen tore her arm away, "You kissed me! You _lesbian_!"

"I'm not a lesbian!"

"You kissed me!"

"You slapped me!"

"It was self-defence!"

"Against what? It wasn't like I was gonna rape you or something!"

"You KISSED ME."

CC's brow furrowed, "And is that what you do every time someone kisses you? BITCHSLAP THEM?" she _tsked_ and glanced to the side. Kallen clutched at her coat in barley suppressed drunken horror, "Well, WHY did you kiss me?" "I don't know. I just did, and then you slapped me!" CC's eyes narrowed, "I mean, fuck, if you didn't like it you could have just said so..."

Kallen's clenched hands loosened a bit, there was silence as she found her thoughts drifting to dangerous territory, "I think I slapped you…because I was surprised, because-" she looked carefully at CC "-maybe I liked it a little actually." And she had, thinking back to the kiss itself, and how soft CC's lips were…and how fruity…CC looked at her, breathing out deeply (the fog around her mouth flourished and then filtered into the night air) and then-

"Huh."

"…Yeah."

And they both continued to stand there.

* * *

**And not a Single Fuck was given that day.**

This chapter was supposed to have 'The Talk' plastered onto the end of it but then I thought about how good a spot this was to leave off on, and now the next chapter can be longer too! [This was 15 pages, I seem to advance on each chapter with 2-3 pages so woopee!]


End file.
